Investigation of the Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on Delamination of MXene Ti3C2Tx Particles

By the method of selective etching of Ti3AlC2 in HF solution using ultrasonic treatment, samples of Ti3C2Tx, where Tx is an F– or OH-group, have been obtained. The main stages occurring during etching and intercalation of layered structures of the MXene type have been determined and described, including formation of transcrystalline cracks in MAX-phase crystals, separation of MXene packages from each other, emergence of the layered structure, as well as complete delamination with the formation of single Ti3C2Tx plates. The best degree of separation has been observed in the sample obtained by 6-h ultrasonic treatment with HF solution followed by additional ultrasonic treatment for 2 h. It has been found that the use of ultrasonic treatment increases the etching rate of the original precursor and increases the degree of delamination.