Synthesis of Mo4VAlC4 MAX Phase and Two-Dimensional Mo4VC4 MXene with Five Atomic Layers of Transition Metals

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides with a general formula of Mn+1XnTx, in which two, three, or four atomic layers of a transition metal are interleaved with layers of C and/or N. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to examine the structure of both phases. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to study the composition of these materials. 2D materials such as graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and transition metal dichalcogenides have gained significant attention due to their interesting electronic, photonic, electrochemical, and optical properties. MXenes have become increasingly studied due to their exceptional properties such as high volumetric capacitance, antibacterial properties, electrochromic behaviour, high electronic conductivity, and optical transparency.