Nine-metal MXene obliterates limits of 2D nanomaterial design

Scientists at Purdue University have achieved a breakthrough in two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials by synthesizing MXenes—ultrathin sheets just a nanometer thick—that incorporate up to nine different transition metals. This represents a significant advance beyond previous MXene designs, which typically involved fewer metals. By creating nearly 40 layered materials with varying metal combinations, the researchers explored how entropy (the tendency toward atomic disorder) competes with enthalpy (the drive for ordered atomic arrangements) in these complex structures. They found that while MXenes with fewer metals tend to form ordered layers, those with higher metal diversity exhibit “high-entropy” phases characterized by atomic disorder, a transition that is crucial for designing materials stable under extreme conditions. The team first synthesized layered “parent” MAX phases before converting them into MXenes to study their surface and electronic properties, linking atomic order-disorder transitions to functional behavior. This insight expands the family of 2D materials and their potential applications in demanding environments such