Highly Efficiently Delaminated Single-Layered MXene Nanosheets with Large Lateral Size

Single layered Ti₃C₂(OH)₂ nanosheets have been successfully fabricated by etching its Ti₃AlC₂ precursor with KOH in the presence of a small amount of water. The OH group replaced the Al layer within the Ti₃AlC₂ structure during etching, and Ti₃C₂(OH)₂ nanosheets could be easily and efficiently achieved through a simple washing process. The delaminated single-layered nanosheets are clearly revealed by atomic force microscopy to be several micrometers in lateral size. Interestingly, the exfoliated Ti₃C₂(OH)₂ nanosheets could be restacked to form a new layer-structured material after drying. When redispersing this restacked Ti₃C₂(OH)₂ materials in water again, it could be re-delaminated easily only after shaking for several hours. The easy delamination and restacking properties, coupled with intrinsic metallic conductivity and hydrophilicity, make it an ideal two-dimensional building block for fabricating a wide variety of functional materials.