A new 2D monolayer BiXene, M2C (M=Mo, Tc, Os)

TL;DR

This paper predicts a new family of 2D monolayer materials called BiXenes, derived from binary carbides, which are potentially synthesizable, stable under certain conditions, and promising for energy storage and spintronic applications.

Contribution

The study introduces BiXenes as a new 2D monolayer family with distinct symmetry and bonding characteristics, expanding the landscape of 2D materials beyond MXenes.

Findings

BiXenes have formation energies close to germanene.

Certain BiXenes are dynamically stable at 0 K.

Strong covalency in BiXenes suggests promising electronic properties.

Abstract

Note this is a rather coarse version of our manuscript since uploading tex files are necessary (we are not willing to upload all tex files). The existence of BiXenes, a new family of 2D monolayers is here predicted. Theoretically, BiXenes have 1H symmetry (P-6m2) and can be formed from the 4d/5d binary carbides. As the name suggests, they are close relatives of MXenes, which instead have 1T symmetry (P-3m1). The newly found BiXenes, as well as some new MXenes, are shown to have formation energies close to that of germanene, which suggests that these materials should be possible to be synthesised. Among them, we illustrate that 1H-Tc2C and 1T-Mo2C are dynamically stable at 0 K, while 1H-Mo2C, 1TTc2C, 1H-Tc2C, and 1T-Rh2C are likely to be stabilised via strain or temperature. In addition, the nature of the chemical bonding is analysed, emphasizing that the covalency between the transition metal ions and carbon is much stronger in BiXenes than in MXenes. The emergence of BiXenes can not only open up a new era of conducting 2D monolayers, but also provide good candidates for carrier materials aimed at energy storage and spintronic devices that have already been unveiled in MXenes.