Construction of self-stacking nanostructure with MXene and CNT through dopamine polymerization

Abstract

Aerogel has gained much attention as a promising nanostructure which contributes to the high dispersity of nanofillers and structural stability. However, the difficulty of fabricating robust aerogels using various nanofillers and producing aerogels for the scale-up process is still challenging for expanding applications of aerogels. We fabricate the ternary aerogel particle consisting of MXene, carbon nanotube (CNT), and polydopamine (PDA), and it has structural stability owing to the outstanding adhesion property of PDA. The fabricated aerogel particles are also highly favorable for industrial application because if its ease of handling and scaling up compared to the bulk aerogels. In this study, various parameters, such as polymerization time of PDA and fabrication method, are utilized to find the optimal conditions for fabricating robust and stable aerogel nanostructures. Ternary aerogel exhibits a unique nanostructure with self-staked MXene and bridged CNT between MXene layers, which is expected to form a more effective conducting pathway. Moreover, rheological analysis revealed that the storage modulus recovered even after severe deformation, indicating that the fabricated aerogel possesses structural stability. It is anticipated that these ternary aerogel particles have the potential to be applied in the effective platform for nanocomposites in various industrial fields.

Graphical abstract