title: Synthesis of Nanoflower-Shaped MXene Derivative with Unexpected Catalytic Activity for Dehydrogenation of Sodium Alanates.
abstract: Surface group modification and functionalization of two-dimensional materials in many cases are deemed as effective approaches to achieve some distinctive properties. Herein, we present a new nanoflower-shaped TiO2/C composite which was synthesized by in situ alcoholysis of two-dimensional layered MXene (Ti3C2(OHxF1-x)2) in a dilute HF solution (0.5 wt %) for the first time. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that it bestows a strong catalytic activity for the dehydrogenation of NaAlH4. The results show that the NaAlH4containing 10 wt % A0.9R0.1-TiO2/C (containing 90% anatase TiO2and 10% rutile TiO2) composite merely took ∼85 min to reach a stable and maximum dehydrogenation capacity of ∼3.08 wt % at 100 °C, and it maintains stable after ten cycles, which is the best Ti-based catalyst for the dehydrogenation of NaAlH4reported so far. Theoretical calculation confirms that this C-doping TiO2crystals remarkably decreases desorption energy barrier of Al-H bonding in NaAlH4, accelerating the breakdown of Al-H bonding. This finding raises the potential for development and application of new fuel cells.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University , Jiaozuo 454000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baozhong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Hebei Provincial Key Lab of Optoelectronic Information Materials, College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University , Baoding 071002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qingrui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Rober Gordon University , Aberdeen, AB107GJ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Qiuming
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3053-7066
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Peng
keywords: MXene; catalytic properties; dehydrogenation; phase transformation; two dimension