Nano-Micro Letters (Jul 2021)

3D Seed-Germination-Like MXene with In Situ Growing CNTs/Ni Heterojunction for Enhanced Microwave Absorption via Polarization and Magnetization

  • Xiao Li,
  • Wenbin You,
  • Chunyang Xu,
  • Lei Wang,
  • Liting Yang,
  • Yuesheng Li,
  • Renchao Che

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00680-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Highlights Benefiting from the possible “seed-germination” effect, the “seeds” Ni2+ grow into “buds” Ni nanoparticles and “stem” carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the enlarged “soil” of MXene skeleton. Compared with the traditional magnetic agglomeration, the MXene-CNTs/Ni hybrids exhibit the highly spatial dispersed magnetic architecture. 3D MXene-CNTs/Ni composites hold excellent microwave absorption performance (−56.4 dB at only 2.4 mm). Abstract Ti3C2Tx MXene is widely regarded as a potential microwave absorber due to its dielectric multi-layered structure. However, missing magnetic loss capability of pure MXene leads to the unmatched electromagnetic parameters and unsatisfied impedance matching condition. Herein, with the inspiration from dielectric-magnetic synergy, this obstruction is solved by fabricating magnetic CNTs/Ni hetero-structure decorated MXene substrate via a facile in situ induced growth method. Ni2+ ions are successfully attached on the surface and interlamination of each MXene unit by intensive electrostatic adsorption. Benefiting from the possible “seed-germination” effect, the “seeds” Ni2+ grow into “buds” Ni nanoparticles and “stem” carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the enlarged “soil” of MXene skeleton. Due to the improved impedance matching condition, the MXene-CNTs/Ni hybrid holds a superior microwave absorption performance of − 56.4 dB at only 2.4 mm thickness. Such a distinctive 3D architecture endows the hybrids: (i) a large-scale 3D magnetic coupling network in each dielectric unit that leading to the enhanced magnetic loss capability, (ii) a massive multi-heterojunction interface structure that resulting in the reinforced polarization loss capability, confirmed by the off-axis electron holography. These outstanding results provide novel ideas for developing magnetic MXene-based absorbers.

Keywords