Nearly 15 years after discovering MXenes, a versatile class of two-dimensional conductive nanomaterials, researchers at Drexel University have now developed a way to create a one-dimensional version known as MXene nanoscrolls. These ultra-thin structures, about 100 times thinner than a human hair, are even more conductive than their flat counterparts and could significantly improve technologies such as energy storage devices, biosensors, and wearable electronics.
The research, published in the journal Advanced Materials, introduces a scalable method for producing these nanoscrolls from MXene precursors while precisely controlling their shape and chemical composition.
"Two-dimensional morphology is very important in many applications. However, there are applications where 1D morphology is superior," said Yury Gogotsi, PhD, Distinguished University and Bach professor in Drexel's College of Engineering, who was a corresponding author of the paper. "It's like comparing steel sheets to metal pipes or rebar. One needs sheets to make car bodies, but to pump water or reinforce concrete, long tubes or rods are needed."
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