Recent advances and opportunities in MXene-based liquid crystals

The recent progress on the liquid crystalline (LC) dispersion of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (MXenes) has propelled this unique nanomaterial into a realm of high-performance architectures, such as films and fibers. Additionally, compared to architectures made from typical non-LC dispersions, those derived from LC MXene possess tunable ion transport routes and enhanced conductivity and physical properties, demonstrating great potential for a wide range of applications, such as electronic displays, smart glasses, and thermal camouflage devices. This review provides an overview of the progress achieved in the production and processing of LC MXenes, including critical discussions on satisfying the required conditions for LC formation. It also highlights how acquiring LC MXenes has broadened the current solution-based manufacturing paradigm of MXene-based architectures, resulting in unprecedented performances in their conventional applications (e.g., energy storage and strain sensing) and in their emerging uses (e.g., tribology). Opportunities for innovation and foreseen challenges are also discussed, offering future research directions on how to further benefit from the exciting potential of LC MXenes with the aim of promoting their widespread use in designing and manufacturing advanced materials and applications.