Institute of Chemistry
Topic
Controlled Synthesis and Surface Functionalization of MXenes Prepared by Fluoride-Based Etching of MAX Phases
PhD. program
Organic chemistry
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
RNDr. Marek Baráth, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Commenius University Bratislava
Annotation
MXenes are an emerging class of two-dimensional materials obtained via chemically driven transformation of layered MAX phases, where selective removal of the A-element is mediated by fluoride-based reagents. Despite extensive research, the chemical nature of the etching process and the role of different fluoride sources remain insufficiently understood, particularly from a molecular and coordination chemistry perspective.
This PhD thesis aims to investigate MXene synthesis as a chemically controlled solid-state transformation, focusing on the influence of various fluoride systems, including alkali metal fluorides, transition metal fluorides, and BF₃-based complexes, on the reactivity of selected MAX phases (Ti₃AlC₂, Ti₂AlC, TiVAlC). Emphasis will be placed on correlating fluoride Lewis acidity, redox behavior, and coordination chemistry with the resulting MXene structure and surface termination.
The second part of the work will address post-synthetic organic surface modification of MXenes using low-molecular-weight organic and biologically active molecules such as amino acids, carboxylic acids, and chelating agents. These modifications will be studied as covalent or coordinative interactions between organic functional groups and the MXene surface, treating MXenes as reactive inorganic substrates for organic surface chemistry.
This research will establish a conceptual link between solid-state inorganic chemistry and organic surface functionalization, positioning MXenes as chemically tunable platforms for advanced applications.
This PhD thesis aims to investigate MXene synthesis as a chemically controlled solid-state transformation, focusing on the influence of various fluoride systems, including alkali metal fluorides, transition metal fluorides, and BF₃-based complexes, on the reactivity of selected MAX phases (Ti₃AlC₂, Ti₂AlC, TiVAlC). Emphasis will be placed on correlating fluoride Lewis acidity, redox behavior, and coordination chemistry with the resulting MXene structure and surface termination.
The second part of the work will address post-synthetic organic surface modification of MXenes using low-molecular-weight organic and biologically active molecules such as amino acids, carboxylic acids, and chelating agents. These modifications will be studied as covalent or coordinative interactions between organic functional groups and the MXene surface, treating MXenes as reactive inorganic substrates for organic surface chemistry.
This research will establish a conceptual link between solid-state inorganic chemistry and organic surface functionalization, positioning MXenes as chemically tunable platforms for advanced applications.