Ultralow and Selective Infrared Emission from MXenes

TL;DR

This paper investigates the infrared emission properties of MXenes, demonstrating their potential for low-emissivity coatings and thermal management in wearable devices through experimental measurements and patterning.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of the intrinsic infrared emissivity of specific MXenes and explores their application in passive heating and thermal regulation.

Findings

Ti3C2Tx has emissivity below 0.06 in 3-27 μm range

MXene coatings suppress thermal radiation effectively

Patterned MXene fabric enables infrared identification

Abstract

Low and selective infrared emission materials are necessary for next generation thermal technologies, including passive heating, infrared identification, and photothermal conversion. Here, we report on the intrinsic infrared radiation properties of three MXenes: Ti3C2Tx, Ti3CNTx, and V4C3Tx. The infrared emissivity of 200 nm thick Ti3C2Tx coating is lower than 0.06 between wavelengths of 3-27 {\mu}m, while Ti3CNTx and V4C3Tx have values of 0.13 and 0.26, respectively. Investigation using a laboratory-based passive heating process showed that MXene coatings suppress the thermal radiation. The infrared identification capability was also validated using a patterned MXene fabric. This work paves the way for developing MXene-based smart wearable devices and garments capable of selective and localized thermal management.