Iontronics Using V2CTx MXene-Derived Metal-Organic Framework Solid Electrolytes

ACS Nano. 2020 Aug 25;14(8):9840-9847. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02497. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

Abstract

Electronic applications of porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as an important research area. However, there is still no report on using MOF solid electrolytes in iontronics, which could take advantage of the porous feature of MOFs in the ionic transport. In this article, MXene-derived two-dimensional porphyrinic MOF (MX-MOF) films are demonstrated as an electronic-grade proton-conducting electrolyte. Meanwhile, the MX-MOF film shows high quality, chemical stability, and capability of standard device patterning processes (e.g., dry etching and optical and electron beam lithography). Using the commercialized nanofabrication processes, an electric double-layer (EDL) transistor is demonstrated using the MX-MOF film (derived from V2CTx MXene) as an ionic gate and MoS2 film as a semiconducting channel layer. The EDL transistor, operated by applying an electric field to control the interaction between ions and electrons, is the core device platform in the emerging iontronics field. Therefore, The MX-MOF, confirmed as a solid electrolyte for EDL transistor devices, could have a significant impact on iontronics research and development.

Keywords: MoS2; electric double-layer transistor; film patterning; metal−organic framework; solid electrolyte.