Two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx), or MXene, is a new nanomaterial that has attracted increasing interest due to its metallic conductivity, good solution processability, and excellent energy storage performance. However, Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes suffer from degradation through oxidation due to prolonged exposure to oxygenated water. Preventing the occurrence of oxidation, i.e., the formation of TiO2 particles, was found to be crucial in maintaining MXene quality. In the present work, we found that freezing aqueous MXene dispersions at a low temperature can effectively prevent the formation of TiO2 nanoparticles at the flake edge, which is known as the early stage of oxidation. The Ti3C2Tx flakes in frozen dispersion remain consistent in morphology and elemental composition for over 650 days, compared with freshly synthesized MXene, which in contrast exhibits flake edge degradation within two days when stored at room temperature. This result suggests that freezing a MXene dispersion dramatically postpones the oxidation of MXene flakes and that the stored MXene dispersion can be treated as freshly prepared MXene. This work not only fundamentally fulfilled the study on temperature dependence of MXene oxidation but has also demonstrated a simple method to extend the shelf life of MXene aqueous dispersion to years, which will be a cornerstone for large-scale production of MXene and ultimately benefit the research on MXenes.
Keywords: MXene; freezing; long-term storage; low temperature; oxidation.