Two-dimensional TiC MXene-based nanostructures for emerging optoelectronic applications.

Since the first discovery of TiC in 2011, two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides, known as MXenes, have attracted significant attention. Due to their outstanding electronic, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties, versatile structures and surface chemistries, TiC MXenes have emerged as new candidates with great potential for applications in optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaics, photodetectors and photoelectrochemical devices. The excellent metallic conductivity, high anisotropic carrier mobility, good structural and chemical stabilities, high optical transmittance, excellent mechanical strength, tunable work functions, and wide range of optical absorption properties of TiC MXene nanostructures are the key to their success in a number of electronic and photonic device applications. Herein, we summarize the fundamental properties and preparation of pure TiC MXenes, functionalized TiC MXenes and their hybrid nanocomposites, as well as their optoelectronic applications. In the end, the perspective and current challenges of TiC MXenes toward the development of advanced MXene-based nanostructures are briefly discussed for future optoelectronic applications.