Engineering Magnetic Properties of Two-Dimensional MXenes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulf Wiedwald
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 530103526

MXenes are widely recognized as one of the fastest growing areas in 2D materials research due to their exceptional physical and structural properties and great promise for various applications, including spintronics and magnetic sensors. Yet, the experimental efforts towards their magnetism remain very limited since Fe, Co or Ni are incompatible with MAX phases that are used as precursors to produce MXenes via selective chemical etching of the A layer. Alternatively, to master magnetic properties of 2D MXenes, we propose to intercalate Fe into few layered MXene structures in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions at variable temperatures. Producing MXenes with various surface functional groups (-F, -OH, =O, -Cl, -Br) and a detailed study of their thermal desorption will allow to obtain partially or almost unfunctionalized MXenes in a very controlled manner. The unterminated surface of various MXenes (Ti3C2, Ti2C) will be functionalized by in-situ deposition of Fe, which will be further intercalated at different temperatures and in-situ monitored by Auger spectroscopy. Such functionalization by intercalation could enable creation of MXenes with novel 2D magnetic properties. The comprehensive study of the structure-magnetism relation of Fe-intercalated MXenes is the focus of the project. The combination of synthesis and characterization of various MXenes chemistry at the Materials and Physical Engineering Laboratory (LMGP, Grenoble) together with atomic scale investigation and magnetic characterization in UHV environment at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE, Duisburg) and element-selective hard X-ray polarization dependent spectroscopy in high magnetic fields at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF, Grenoble) will provide a turning point in establishing reliable implementation routes for magnetic MXenes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Hanna Pazniak; Dr. Fabrice Wilhelm