Magnetotransport Properties in High-Quality Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Superconducting Mo2C Crystals

Interplay between superconducting fluctuations and weak localization in disordered TiN thin films

The interplay between superconducting fluctuations (SFs) and weak localization (WL) has been probed by temperature dependent resistance [R(T)] and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements in two-dimensional disordered superconducting TiN thin films. Within a narrow range of temperature above transition temperature (Tc), the coexistence of SF-mediated positive MR and WL-led negative MR in different ranges of magnetic fields and a crossover from positive MR to negative MR with an increase in temperature are reported herein. The crossover temperature coincides with a characteristic temperature (Tmax) at which a resistance peak appears in the zero-field R(T). The resistance peak and associated magnetoresistance anomalies are addressed using quantum corrections to conductivity (QCC) theory. We show that WL can be accounted for the observed negative MR. By introducing individual coefficients to both SFs and WL contributions, the dominance of one over the other is monitored with respect to temperature. It is observed that just above Tc, SFs dominate; with an increase in temperature, the contributions from both become comparable; and finally, at Tmax, WL takes over completely. The presented approach may be adopted to compare various quantum contributions in two-dimensional superconductors, particularly in the regime where both SFs and WL are pronounced.

MXenes-polymer nanocomposites for biomedical applications: fundamentals and future perspectives

The article discusses the promising synergy between MXenes and polymers in developing advanced nanocomposites with diverse applications in biomedicine domains. MXenes, possessing exceptional properties, are integrated into polymer matrices through various synthesis and fabrication methods. These nanocomposites find applications in drug delivery, imaging, diagnostics, and environmental remediation. They offer improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects in drug delivery, enhanced sensitivity and specificity in imaging and diagnostics, and effectiveness in water purification and pollutant removal. The perspective also addresses challenges like biocompatibility and toxicity, while suggesting future research directions. In totality, it highlights the transformative potential of MXenes-polymer nanocomposites in addressing critical issues across various fields.

Granularity mediated multiple reentrances with negative magnetoresistance in disordered TiN thin films

Granular superconductors are the common examples of experimentally accessible model systems which can be used to explore various fascinating quantum phenomena that are fundamentally important and technologically relevant. One such phenomenon is the occurrence of reentrant resistive states in granular superconductors. Here, we report the observation of multiple reentrant resistive states for a disordered TiN thin film in its temperature and magnetic field dependent resistance measurements, R(T) and R(B), respectively. At each of the peak-temperatures corresponding to the zero-field R(T), a resistance peak appears in the R(B) around zero field which leads to a negative magnetoresistance (MR) region in its surrounding. These low-field negative MR regions appear for both perpendicular and parallel field directions with relatively higher amplitude and larger width for the parallel field. By adopting a granularity-based model, we show that the superconducting fluctuations in granular superconductors may lead to the observed reentrant states and the corresponding negative MR. Here, we propose that the reduction in the density of states in the fermionic channel due to the formation of Cooper pairs leads to the reentrant resistive state and the competition between the conduction processes in the single particle and Cooper channels result into the multiple resistive reentrances.

Recent advancements in MXene-based nanocomposites as photocatalysts for hazardous pollutant degradation - A review

The recent expeditious industrialization and urbanization showcase the increasing need for renewable and non-renewable energy and the severe environmental crisis. In this regard, numerous 2-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have been developed as a facile approach to meet the futuristic energy essentials and to resolve the crisis. In contrast, the newly explored 2D MXenes (transition metal carbide/nitrides/carbonitride) have been employed as an intriguing material for various environmental applications. This development is accredited to their unique properties, which include a vast surface area, strong electrical conductivity, fascinating photophysical properties, high mechanical properties, stability in an aqueous medium, high hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, and excellent thermal properties. MXenes act as a potential candidate in water desalination, energy storage devices such as electrodes of Li-ion batteries and pseudo capacitors, hydrogen production, sensors, and wastewater treatment. This review article deliberates the synthesis of MXene and nanocomposites of MXene and their photo-catalytic actions against various toxic pollutants such as organic dyes and heavy metals in wastewater. This review also precises the various preparation methods of MXene-based photocatalyst and the enhanced photocatalytic activity of MXene and MXene-based nanocomposites in wastewater treatment. Also, it details the attempts made to improve the photocatalytic activity of MXene-based nanocomposites in terms of their structural compositions. In addition, the merits and demerits of the MXene-based photocatalysts are deliberated, which may pave the way for future research in this arena.

Atomically Resolved Defects on Thin Molybdenum Carbide (α-Mo2C) Crystals

Thin transition metal carbides (TMCs) garnered significant attention in recent years due to their attractive combination of mechanical and electrical properties with chemical and thermal stability. On the other hand, a complete picture of how defects affect the physical properties and application potential of this emerging class of materials is lacking. Here, we present an atomic-resolution study of defects on thin crystals of molybdenum carbide (α-Mo₂C) grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) by way of conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) measurements under ambient conditions. Defects are characterized based on the type (enhancement/attenuation) and spatial extent (compact/extended) of the effect they have on the conductivity landscape of the crystal surfaces. Ab initio calculations performed by way of density functional theory (DFT) are employed to gather clues about the identity of the defects.

Emergence of MXene and MXene-Polymer Hybrid Membranes as Future- Environmental Remediation Strategies

The continuous deterioration of the environment due to extensive industrialization and urbanization has raised the requirement to devise high-performance environmental remediation technologies. Membrane technologies, primarily based on conventional polymers, are the most commercialized air, water, solid, and radiation-based environmental remediation strategies. Low stability at high temperatures, swelling in organic contaminants, and poor selectivity are the fundamental issues associated with polymeric membranes restricting their scalable viability. Polymer-metal-carbides and nitrides (MXenes) hybrid membranes possess remarkable physicochemical attributes, including strong mechanical endurance, high mechanical flexibility, superior adsorptive behavior, and selective permeability, due to multi-interactions between polymers and MXene's surface functionalities. This review articulates the state-of-the-art MXene-polymer hybrid membranes, emphasizing its fabrication routes, enhanced physicochemical properties, and improved adsorptive behavior. It comprehensively summarizes the utilization of MXene-polymer hybrid membranes for environmental remediation applications, including water purification, desalination, ion-separation, gas separation and detection, containment adsorption, and electromagnetic and nuclear radiation shielding. Furthermore, the review highlights the associated bottlenecks of MXene-Polymer hybrid-membranes and its possible alternate solutions to meet industrial requirements. Discussed are opportunities and prospects related to MXene-polymer membrane to devise intelligent and next-generation environmental remediation strategies with the integration of modern age technologies of internet-of-things, artificial intelligence, machine-learning, 5G-communication and cloud-computing are elucidated.

Molybdenum Carbide-Based Photocatalysts: Synthesis, Functionalization, and Applications

As an effective non-noble, molybdenum carbide (Mo_xC: MoC or Mo₂C) has attracted extensive attention and is regarded as a promising research area in the near future owing to its good biocompatibility, high stability, band gap adjustability, rich valence states, and excellent catalytic activity. This Perspective summarizes the recent progress and achievements for the molybdenum carbide-based catalysts. First, the crystal and band structures of molybdenum carbides are generally presented. Second, various modifying strategies for molybdenum carbides are outlined to enhance the photocatalytic performance, including doping engineering, vacancy engineering, morphology and structure engineering, and the establishment of molybdenum carbide-based composite catalysts. Finally, potential applications in the photocatalysis area of molybdenum carbide-based photocatalyst are generalized. Future development trends and perspective for this promising material are also discussed.

Tunable Structured MXenes With Modulated Atomic Environments: A Powerful New Platform for Electrocatalytic Energy Conversion

Owing to their rich surface chemistry, high conductivity, tunable bandgap, and thermal stability, structured 2D transition-metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides (MXenes) with modulated atomic environments have emerged as efficient electrochemical energy conversion systems in the past decade. Herein, the most recent advances in the engineering of tunable structured MXenes as a powerful new platform for electrocatalytic energy conversion are comprehensively summarized. First, the state-of-the-art synthetic and processing methods, tunable nanostructures, electronic properties, and modulation principles of engineering MXene-derived nanoarchitectures are focused on. The current breakthroughs in the design of catalytic centers, atomic environments, and the corresponding structure-performance correlations, including termination engineering, heteroatom doping, defect engineering, heterojunctions, and alloying, are discussed. Furthermore, representative electrocatalytic applications of structured MXenes in energy conversion systems are also summarized. Finally, the challenges in and prospects for constructing MXene-based electrocatalytic materials are also discussed. This review provides a leading-edge understanding of the engineering of various MXene-based electrocatalysts and offers theoretical and experimental guidance for prospective studies, thereby promoting the practical applications of tunable structured MXenes in electrocatalytic energy conversion systems.

Low-temperature growth of ultrathin and epitaxial Mo2C nanosheets via a vapor-liquid-solid process

Due to the unique physical and chemical properties, transition metal carbides (TMCs) have many potential applications in the fields of energy conversion and catalysis. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a promising method to synthesize TMCs. However, spatially inhomogeneous supply of transition metal precursor vapor in the normal CVD process generally leads to poor control of the morphology and uniformity of the products. Here, we report a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth process where non-volatile Na₂MoO₄ is used to act as a liquid precursor for the growth of uniform ultrathin Mo₂C nanosheets on Al₂O₃(0001). The morphology of the nanosheets can be controlled by tuning the precursor concentration, annealing time and growth temperature. The roles of Na and the liquid-solid interface in consolidating Mo atoms and promoting the epitaxial growth of Mo₂C nanosheets are demonstrated. Furthermore, we show that the liquid-solid interface can cause the crystalline phase transition of Mo₂C nanosheets through verification experiments.

Two-dimensional molybdenum carbide 2D-Mo2C as a superior catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation

Early transitional metal carbides are promising catalysts for hydrogenation of CO₂. Here, a two-dimensional (2D) multilayered 2D-Mo₂C material is prepared from Mo₂CT_x of the MXene family. Surface termination groups T_x (O, OH, and F) are reductively de-functionalized in Mo₂CT_x (500 °C, pure H₂) avoiding the formation of a 3D carbide structure. CO₂ hydrogenation studies show that the activity and product selectivity (CO, CH₄, C₂–C₅ alkanes, methanol, and dimethyl ether) of Mo₂CT_x and 2D-Mo₂C are controlled by the surface coverage of T_x groups that are tunable by the H₂ pretreatment conditions. 2D-Mo₂C contains no T_x groups and outperforms Mo₂CT_x, β-Mo₂C, or the industrial Cu-ZnO-Al₂O₃ catalyst in CO₂ hydrogenation (evaluated by CO weight time yield at 430 °C and 1 bar). We show that the lack of surface termination groups drives the selectivity and activity of Mo-terminated carbidic surfaces in CO₂ hydrogenation.

The development of robust and efficient catalysts for CO₂ hydrogenation to value-added chemicals is an urgent task. Here the authors report two-dimensional carbide catalyst based on earth-abundant molybdenum that hydrogenates CO₂ with high activity, stable performance and tunable selectivity.

Molybdenum Carbide Buried in D-Shaped Fibers as a Novel Saturable Absorber Device for Ultrafast Photonics Applications

Study of nonlinear laser-matter interactions in 2D materials has promoted development of photonics applications. As a typical MXene material, molybdenum carbide (Mo₂C) has attracted much attention because of its graphene-like structure. Here, a type of D-shaped fiber (DF)-buried Mo₂C saturable absorber (SA) fabricated by magnetron-sputtering deposition (MSD) and sol-gel technique is reported. The Mo₂C material was buried between the bottom DF and the upper amorphous silica fabricated by sol-gel technology. Therefore, the DF-based SA effectively solves the problem of material shedding and aging, thus improving the stability and damage threshold of the fiber laser. Application of the SA in erbium-doped fiber laser and stable passive Q-switched operation with a maximum pulse energy of 430.47 nJ is realized. By adjusting the polarization state and pump power, high-power mode-locked pulses are generated with a pulse duration and output power of 199 fs and 54.13 mW, respectively. Further, bound-state soliton pulses are obtained with a pulse width of 312 fs and soliton interval of 1.26 ps for the first time based on MXene materials. Moreover, by application of the SA in ytterbium-doped fiber lasers, a stable dissipative soliton mode-locked pulse is obtained with a pulse width of 23 ps. These results indicate that the DF-based buried Mo₂C as a novel SA provides a reliable method for all-fiber and multifunctional high-power ultrafast laser.

Superconductivity and High-Pressure Performance of 2D Mo2C Crystals

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted significant attention for their ability to support novel magneto-electrical transport and their optical and magnetic properties, of which their superconductivity is particularly of interest. Here we report on the behavior of superconductivity in 2D Mo₂C crystals when hydrostatic pressure is applied, which has not yet been described in the literature. We found that the localization of boundary atoms disorder-induced Cooper pairs can suppress the superconducting transition temperature (T_c) as effectively as a magnetic field and current. We observed that the T_c initially decreased as the pressure increased to 1.75 GPa but then began to increase as the pressure increased further to 2.5 GPa. Our density functional theory calculations revealed that this behavior was linked to the modulation of the strength of the electron-phonon coupling and the electron property, which was triggered by compression of the lattice under high pressure. We attributed the inflection point in the hydrostatic pressure-dependent T_c curve to the structural phase transition of Mo₂C from a hexagonal to an orthorhombic structure. This work presents a new avenue for the study of the superconductivity of Mo₂C, which can be extended to apply to other 2D superconductors to modulate their electronic states.

Superhigh Uniform Magnetic Cr Substitution in a 2D Mo2 C Superconductor for a Macroscopic-Scale Kondo Effect

Substitutional doping provides an effective strategy to tailor the properties of 2D materials, but it remains an open challenge to achieve tunable uniform doping, especially at high doping level. Here, uniform lattice substitution of a 2D Mo₂ C superconductor by magnetic Cr atoms with controlled concentration up to ≈46.9 at% by chemical vapor deposition and a specifically designed Cu/Cr/Mo trilayer growth substrate is reported. The concentration of Cr atoms can be easily tuned by simply changing the thickness of the Cr layer, and the samples retain the original structure of 2D Mo₂ C even at a very high Cr concentration. The controlled uniform Cr doping enables the tuning of the competition of the 2D superconductor and the Kondo effect across the whole sample. Transport measurements show that with increasing Cr concentration, the superconductivity of the 2D Cr-doped Mo₂ C crystals disappears along with the emergence of the Kondo effect, and the Kondo temperature increases monotonously. Using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, the mechanism of the doping level effect on the interplay and evolution between superconductivity and the Kondo effect is revealed. This work paves a new way for the synthesis of 2D materials with widely tunable doping levels, and provides new understandings on the interplay between superconductivity and magnetism in the 2D limit.

First-principles exploration of superconductivity in MXenes

MXenes are an emerging class of two-dimensional materials, which in their thinnest limit consist of a monolayer of carbon or nitrogen (X) sandwiched between two transition metal (M) layers. We have systematically searched for superconductivity among MXenes for a range of transition metal elements, based on a full first-principles characterization in combination with the Eliashberg formalism. Thus, we identified six superconducting MXenes: three carbides (Mo2C, W2C and Sc2C) and three nitrides (Mo2N, W2N and Ta2N). The highest critical temperature of ∼16 K is found in Mo2N, for which a successful synthesis method has been established [Urbankowski et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 17722-17730]. Moreover, W2N presents a novel case of competing superconducting and charge density wave phases.

Fabrication of MoOx/Mo2C-Layered Hybrid Structures by Direct Thermal Oxidation of Mo2C

Two-dimensional (2D) Mo₂C, as a new member of transition metal carbides, has many intriguing properties and potential applications in superconductors and electronic devices. The thermal stability of 2D materials is essential for the performance of the related devices, especially the ones with a vertical heterostructure. However, rare reports have demonstrated the thermal stability of Mo₂C and the effects of thermal stability on its performance. Here, we propose a facile and controllable method to directly oxidize Mo₂C to MoO_x, forming a MoO_x/Mo₂C heterostructure. During the oxidization process, an in situ technique is employed to uncover the transformation and thermal stability of the Mo₂C. The chemical vapor deposition Mo₂C shows high structural stability below 550 °C in Ar or below 350 °C in O₂, which demonstrates the high thermal stability and antioxidation of the Mo₂C film. The metallic Mo₂C is gradually oxidized to semiconducting MoO_x as the temperature increases above 350 °C. The oxidization rate can be easily controlled by adjusting the oxidation temperature and time. Further, the obtained MoO_x/Mo₂C vertical hybrid structure shows obvious Schottky junction behaviors, strongly indicating the perfect interfacial contact between the component layers. This work offers a new strategy for the controllable fabrication of high-quality 2D heterostructures.

Mo2B, an MBene member with high electrical and thermal conductivities, and satisfactory performances in lithium ion batteries

Owing to their high specific area, good flexibility and many other unique properties, two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted extensive attention in the recent two decades. As an analogy to the well-studied MXenes, MBenes also emerged. In this work, Mo2B, an MBene member, is predicted both in H- and T-type configurations from first-principles calculations. Structural, mechanical, electronic, and thermal properties, and performances in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) for both configurations are investigated. The H-type Mo2B is found to be the stable structure, which can be transformed into the T-type by applying strains. The elastic constants c 11 in the H- and T-type Mo2B are respectively calculated to be 187.5 and 157.6 N m-1, which are higher than that in the previously reported Mo2C. The electronic thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity are investigated based on the semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory. The electrical conductivities for both structures are of the order of 106 Ω-1 m-1. Because of the large phonon contributions, the thermal conductivities in the H- and T-type Mo2B are much higher than that of the synthesized Mo2C. Based on a 5 μm flake length, the phonon thermal conductivities at room temperature are calculated to be 146 and 141 W m-1 K-1 respectively for the H- and T-type configurations. The T-type Mo2B shows promising performances in LIBs. The theoretical volumetric capacity is as high as 2424 mA h cm-3, and the migration energy barrier is as low as 0.0372 eV. These data imply that Mo2B has widespread applications, such as in conductive films and anode materials.

The shape-dependent surface oxidation of 2D ultrathin Mo2C crystals

2D atomic crystals have been widely explored, usually owing to their numerous shapes, of which the typical hexagon has drawn the most interest. However, the relationship between shape and properties has not been fully probed, owing to the lack of a proper system. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the shape-dependent surface oxidation of 2D Mo₂C crystals, where the elongated flakes are preferentially oxidized under ambient conditions when compared with regular ones, showing higher chemical activity. The gradual surface oxidation of elongated Mo₂C crystals as a function of time is clearly observable. Structural determinations reveal that a discrepancy in the arrangement of Mo and C atoms between elongated and regular crystals accounts for the selective oxidation behavior. The identification of the shape-dependent surface oxidization of Mo₂C crystals provides significant possibilities for tuning the properties of 2D materials via shape-control.

Controlled synthesis of 2D Mo2C/graphene heterostructure on liquid Au substrates as enhanced electrocatalytic electrodes

2D Mo₂C has drawn considerable interest recently for its excellent properties in 2D superconductivity and enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Liquid metals have been demonstrated to be an ideal substrate for large-area 2D Mo₂C growth. However, the growth mechanism of 2D Mo₂C on liquid metals has rarely been explored. Here we report the synthesis of high-quality 2D Mo₂C crystals and Mo₂C/graphene heterostructures on liquid Au by chemical vapor deposition method. A sunk growth mode of 2D Mo₂C on liquid Au substrates has revealed, by atomic force microscope characterizations, that some Mo₂C crystals grow below the level of Au terraces around tens of nanometers. Furthermore, graphene/Mo₂C heterostructure is controllably synthesized by tuning the hydrogen/carbon ratio, which is proven to be an enhanced electrocatalyst for HER against pure Mo₂C crystal grown on liquid Au substrates.

Layer-Stacking, Defects, and Robust Superconductivity on the Mo-Terminated Surface of Ultrathin Mo2C Flakes Grown by CVD

Materials can exhibit exotic properties when they approach the two-dimensional (2D) limit. Because of promising applications in catalysis and energy storage, 2D transition-metal carbides (TMCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Among these TMCs, ultrathin crystalline α-Mo₂C flakes have been fabricated by chemical vapor deposition on Cu/Mo bilayer foils, and their 2D superconducting property was revealed by transport measurements. Herein, we studied the ultrathin α-Mo₂C flakes by atomic-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S). Strain-related structural modulation and the coexistence of different layer-stacking modes are observed on the Mo-terminated surface of α-Mo₂C flakes as well as various lattice defects. Furthermore, an enhanced superconductivity with shorter correlation length was observed by STS technique, and such superconductivity is very robust despite the appearance of the defects. A mechanism of superconducting enhancement is proposed based on the strain-induced strong coupling and the increased disordering originated from lattice defects. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the correlations between atomic structure, defects, and enhanced superconductivity of this emerging 2D material.

Mo2C/graphene heterostructures: low temperature chemical vapor deposition on liquid bimetallic Sn-Cu and hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalytic properties

Thin 2D Mo₂C/graphene vertical heterostructures have attracted significant attention due to their potential application as electrodes in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and energy storage. A common drawback in the chemical vapor deposition synthesis of these structures is the demand for high temperature growth, which should be higher than the melting temperature of the metal catalyst. The most common metallic catalyst is Cu, which has a melting temperature of 1084 °C. Here, we report the growth of thin, ∼200 nm in thickness, semitransparent micrometer-sized Mo₂C domains and Mo₂C/graphene heterostructures at lower temperatures using liquid Sn-Cu alloys. No Sn-associated defects are observed, making the alloy an appealing growth substrate. Raman spectroscopy reveals the vertical interaction between graphene and Mo₂C, as shown by the variation in the strain of the graphene film. The results demonstrate the capability to grow continuous nanometer-thin Mo₂C films at temperatures as low as 880 °C, without sacrificing the growth rate. Mo₂C films are proven to be efficient electrocatalysts for the HER. Moreover, we demonstrate the beneficial role of graphene overgrown on Mo₂C in reducing the HER overpotential values, which is attributed to more efficient charge transfer kinetics, compared to pure Mo₂C films.

Wrinkling of two-dimensional materials: methods, properties and applications

Recently, two-dimensional (2D) materials, including graphene, its derivatives, metal films, MXenes and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), have been widely studied because of their tunable electronic structures and special electrical and optical properties. However, during the fabrication of these 2D materials with atomic thickness, formation of wrinkles or folds is unavoidable to enable their stable existence. Meaningfully, it is found that wrinkled structures simultaneously impose positive changes on the 2D materials. Specifically, the architecture of wrinkled structures in 2D materials additionally induces excellent properties, which are of great importance for their practical applications. In this review, we provide an overview of categories of 2D materials, which contains formation and fabrication methods of wrinkled patterns and relevant mechanisms, as well as the induced mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties. Furthermore, these properties are modifiable by controlling the surface topography or even by dynamically stretching the 2D materials. Wrinkling offers a platform for 2D materials to be applied in some promising fields such as field emitters, energy containers and suppliers, field effect transistors, hydrophobic surfaces, sensors for flexible electronics and artificial intelligence. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of wrinkled 2D materials in the near future are discussed.

Applications of 2D MXenes in energy conversion and storage systems

This article provides a comprehensive review of MXene materials and their energy-related applications.

Recent Advances in Growth of Novel 2D Materials: Beyond Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Since the discovery of graphene just over a decade ago, 2D materials have been a central focus of materials research and engineering because of their unique properties and potential of revealing intriguing new phenomena. In the past few years, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have also attracted considerable attention because of the intrinsically opened bandgap. The exceptional properties and potential applications of graphene and TMDs have inspired explosive efforts to discover novel 2D materials. Here, emerging novel 2D materials are summarized and recent progress in the preparation, characterization, and application of 2D materials is highlighted. The experimental realization methods for these materials are emphasized, while the large-area growth and controlled patterning for industrial productions are discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and potential applications of 2D materials are outlined.

Magnetic and electronic properties of single-walled Mo2C nanotube: a first-principles study

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of single-walled Mo₂C nanotubes are investigated by using first-principles calculations. We establish that single-walled Mo₂C nanotubes can be rolled up from a graphene-like Mo₂C monolayer with H- or T-type phase, i.e. H-Mo₂C and T-Mo₂C nanotubes. The armchair-type T-Mo₂C nanotubes are more energetically stable than H-Mo₂C nanotubes with the same diameter, while zigzag-type H-Mo₂C nanotubes are more energetically stable than T-Mo₂C nanotubes. In particular, (8, 0) H-Mo₂C nanotube are more stable than Mo₂C monolayer due to structural deformation. All Mo₂C nanotubes are magnetic metals, independent of their chirality, and the magnetic moments of Mo atoms in the outer layer are larger than the inner. The ionic and metallic bonds in Mo₂C nanotubes and delocalized electrons around Mo atoms lead to the versatile electronic and magnetic properties in them, endowing them potential applications in catalysts and electronics.

Capabilities of transition metals in retarding the bonding of carbon atoms to minimize dendritic graphene

The avoidance of growing dendritic graphene on the copper substrate during the chemical vapor deposition process is greatly desired. Here we have identified a mechanism, in which (1) transition metal plates placed inside the copper pockets reduce the majority of active carbon atoms to eventually suppress the graphene growth rate, and (2) transition metals etch graphene C-C bonds along defective edges to grow into zigzag-edge ending domains with higher priorities. Via isotopic labeling of the methane method, we have observed bright-dark-alternating hexagonal-shaped rings, which are shown in Raman mapping images. Under a hydrogen atmosphere, we are capable of acquiring hexagonal openings within graphene domains by means of transition-metal-driven catalytic etching. This methodology may work as a simple and convenient way to determine graphene size and crystal orientation, and may enable the etching of graphene into smooth and ordered zigzag edge nanoribbons without compromising the quality of graphene.

Phase and Facet Control of Molybdenum Carbide Nanosheet Observed by In Situ TEM

Transition metal carbides are of great potential for electrochemical applications. The phase and facet of molybdenum carbides greatly affect the electrochemical performance. Carburization of MoO₃ inside a transmission electron microscope to monitor the growth process of molybdenum carbides is performed. Carbon sources with different activities are used and the controllable growth of molybdenum carbides is investigated. The results show that the relatively inert amorphous carbon film produces Mo₂ C, where the interstitial sites formed by hexagonal closed packing molybdenum atoms are partially occupied by carbon atoms. In contrast, the carbon decomposed from the sucrose has a high portion of sp³ hybridized and crosslinked carbon atoms with high reactivity, leading to the formation of MoC with full occupation of interstitial sites by carbon atoms. In addition, the MoC growth experiences a (111) to (100) facets change with the increase of temperature. The (111) facet formed at low temperature has Mo-terminated or C-terminated surface with higher surface energy and higher reactivity, while the (100) facet with 1:1 C/Mo ratio on the surface exhibits enhanced stability. The phase and facet control by carbon source and temperature allow us to tune the crystal structures and surface atoms as well as their electrochemical properties.

Direct Synthesis of Large-Area 2D Mo2 C on In Situ Grown Graphene

As a new member of the MXene group, 2D Mo₂ C has attracted considerable interest due to its potential application as electrodes for energy storage and catalysis. The large-area synthesis of Mo₂ C film is needed for such applications. Here, the one-step direct synthesis of 2D Mo₂ C-on-graphene film by molten copper-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is reported. High-quality and uniform Mo₂ C film in the centimeter range can be grown on graphene using a Mo-Cu alloy catalyst. Within the vertical heterostructure, graphene acts as a diffusion barrier to the phase-segregated Mo and allows nanometer-thin Mo₂ C to be grown. Graphene-templated growth of Mo₂ C produces well-faceted, large-sized single crystals with low defect density, as confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements. Due to its more efficient graphene-mediated charge-transfer kinetics, the as-grown Mo₂ C-on-graphene heterostructure shows a much lower onset voltage for hydrogen evolution reactions as compared to Mo₂ C-only electrodes.

Phase transition and in situ construction of lateral heterostructure of 2D superconducting α/β Mo2C with sharp interface by electron beam irradiation

Lateral heterostructures of 2D materials have several interesting properties and potential applications, and they are usually fabricated by chemical vapor deposition. However, it still remains a great challenge to fabricate 2D lateral heterostructures with well-controlled patterns and sharp interfaces. Herein, we found that the 2D α-Mo₂C crystal, a recently emerging 2D superconductor, experiences a phase transition from the α phase to β phase on electron beam irradiation in a transmission electron microscope because of the migration of carbon atoms among the molybdenum octahedrons. Combined with first-principles calculations, the carbon atom migration paths and the corresponding energy barriers were discussed. Utilizing this unique phase transition property of 2D α-Mo₂C crystal, we demonstrated the precise in situ construction of the lateral heterostructure of 2D superconducting α/β Mo₂C with a well-controlled pattern and sharp interface using advanced aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.