Novel Architecture Titanium Carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene Cocatalysts toward Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production: A Mini-Review

Van-Huy Nguyen; Ba-Son Nguyen; Chechia Hu; Chinh Chien Nguyen; Dang Le Tri Nguyen; Minh Tuan Nguyen Dinh; Dai-Viet N Vo; Quang Thang Trinh; Mohammadreza Shokouhimehr; Amirhossein Hasani; Soo Young Kim; Quyet Van Le

doi:10.3390/nano10040602

Novel Architecture Titanium Carbide (Ti₃C₂T_x) MXene Cocatalysts toward Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production: A Mini-Review

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2020 Mar 25;10(4):602. doi: 10.3390/nano10040602.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department for Management of Science and Technology Development, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.
² Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.
³ Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications, Lac Hong University, Bien Hoa 810000, Vietnam.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, R&D center for Membrane Technology and Research Center for Circular Economy, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli Dist., Taoyuan City 32023, Taiwan.
⁵ Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Danang 550000, Vietnam.
⁶ Faculty of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam.
⁷ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology, The University of Da Nang, 54 Nguyen Luong Bang, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam.
⁸ Center of Excellence for Green Energy and Environmental Nanomaterials (CE@GrEEN), Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City 755414, Vietnam.
⁹ Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way 138602, Singapore.
¹⁰ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Research Institute of Advanced Materials, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea.
¹¹ School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea.
¹² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Korea.

Abstract

Low dimensional transition metal carbide and nitride (MXenes) have been emerging as frontier materials for energy storage and conversion. Ti₃C₂T_x was the first MXenes that discovered and soon become the most widely investigated among the MXenes family. Interestingly, Ti₃C₂T_x exhibits ultrahigh catalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. In addition, Ti₃C₂T_x is electronically conductive, and its optical bandgap is tunable in the visible region, making it become one of the most promising candidates for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this review, we provide comprehensive strategies for the utilization of Ti₃C₂T_x as a catalyst for improving solar-driven HER, including surface functional groups engineering, structural modification, and cocatalyst coupling. In addition, the reaming obstacle for using these materials in a practical system is evaluated. Finally, the direction for the future development of these materials featuring high photocatalytic activity toward HER is discussed.

Keywords: HER; MXenes; Ti3C2Tx; photocatalysis; water splitting.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

2017M3D1A1039379; 2018R1A4A1022647/National Research Foundation of Korea