Harnessing Coordination-Assisted Surface Functionalization for Ligand-Induced Growth of Ultrafine Metal Nanoparticles on MXene

Abstract

The synthesis of ultrafine metal nanoparticles and their integration onto 2D nanomaterials have attracted significant interest due to their outstanding chemical and electrochemical activity. Among 2D materials, MXenes have emerged as promising candidates for hybridization owing to their abundant surface nucleation sites and high electrical conductivity. However, achieving uniform growth of ultrafine metal nanoparticles on MXene surfaces remains a challenge due to non-uniform metal nucleation and growth behaviors. In this study, a novel coordination-assisted surface functionalization method is presented to graft organic ligands onto MXene, promoting the uniform growth of ultrafine metal nanoparticles. By leveraging the mutual attraction between metal ions, organic ligands, and MXene surface functional groups, MXene surfaces are efficiently functionalized through palladium coordination complexes. Subsequent ligand-induced growth facilitated the uniform nucleation of ultrafine metal nanoparticles, resulting in densely anchored nanoparticles of 1-3 nm in size on MXene. Comprehensive characterizations reveal the effectiveness of the method, demonstrating exceptional properties of the MXene-metal nanoparticle hybrid, particularly in hydrogen sensing applications. This study highlights the potential of coordination-assisted surface functionalization for the controlled synthesis of MXene-based nanomaterials with tailored properties for diverse applications.