Nb2CTx MXene Nanosheets for Dye Adsorption

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (MXenes) have attracted substantial research interests due to their efficient absorption capability for pollutants in waste water. Nb2CTx MXene with a high specific surface area of about 44.69 m(2).g(-1) was successfully synthesized by etching Nb2AlC with hydrofluoric acid. The as-synthesized Nb2CTx MXene exhibits excellent absorption capability for both cationic dye and anionic dye, with the maximum adsorption capacity beyond 500 mg.g(-1). In addition, the adsorption process of Nb2CTx MXene follows a pesuo-second-order kinetics model, and the rate-limiting step of the adsorption process is the chemisorption at the surface absorption active sites. Our findings show that Nb2CTx MXene is a promising candidate for a high efficiency adsorbent for dye removal from waste water and also sheds light on the further engineering of superior absorbents based on the MXene systems.