Tunable interlayer spacings Ti3C2Tx MXene/Ni/C for enhanced electromagnetic microwave absorption

While two-dimensional lamellar materials, specifically Ti 3 C 2 T x MXenes, have shown great promise as wave-absorbing materials, the precise design of interlayer spacing poses a persistent challenge. In this study, Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene layers with adjustable interlayer spacings were crafted using a straightforward molecular welding technique. Through the incorporation of Ni nanoparticles onto the Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene layers using a combination of simple mechanical stirring and carbonation reactions, we successfully developed Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/Ni/C composites featuring a distinct lamellar structure. A uniform dispersion of Ni nanoparticles on the surface of the Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanosheets was found with some of the nanoparticles intercalated into the layers. The Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/Ni/C composites exhibited a maximum reflection loss (RL) value of −42.3 dB at 12.3 GHz, accompanied by an impressive effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.6 GHz. This outstanding absorption performance could be attributed to various factors, including the dielectric loss of the Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene lamellae, reflections and scattering of multiphase heterostructures, the magnetic loss of the Ni nanoparticles, and their synergistic attenuation. Furthermore, Ni nanoparticles with high electrical conductivity induced vortex currents under the alternating influence of electromagnetic waves (EMWs), resulting in a substantial depletion. This study introduces an innovative approach for synthesizing Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/Ni/C composites with tunable interlayer spacing, showing their potential for applications in microwave absorption (MA).