Role of emerging 2D Nb2CTx MXene for multiple toxic matter degradation, H2 generation, and H2 storage applications: A review

초록

Although two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2Tx MXene has been extensively studied in various applications, 2D Nb2CTx (niobium carbide) has garnered significant attention due to its unique physicochemical properties, making it well-suited for diverse environmental remediation applications. Nb2CTx competes with Ti3C2Tx, offering remarkable performance in energy generation and storage devices. Due to its few-layer structural morphology, Nb2CTx exhibits faster charge transfer than Ti3C2Tx. When subjected to controlled oxidation, Nb2CTx partially converts into Nb2O5, a semiconductor with a band gap of 3.4 eV, similar to the partial oxidation of Ti3C2Tx into TiO2. Interestingly, Nb2CTx MXene integrated semiconductors enhance the visible light photocatalytic activity. Notably, dyes such as RhB, MB, MO, and TC-HCl effectively degraded by over 98 % in 90 min after exposure to the Nb2CTx MXene/semiconductor interface. With its remarkable surface activation energy, Nb2CTx MXene also extended its applicability in H2 storage materials. Thus, this review highlights the role of 2D Nb2CTx MXene for multifunctional environmental applications such as toxic matter degradation, H2 energy generation, and H2 storage. In conclusion, this review outlines the challenges and future research directions aimed at enhancing the Nb2CTx MXene applicability towards clean energy applications.

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