New water material Ti₃AlC₂: the shining star in the MAX phase​

In the vast starry sky of materials science, new materials continue to emerge, bringing a new dawn to the development of various fields. Among them, Ti₃AlC₂, as an outstanding representative of MAX phase materials, is gradually becoming the focus of scientific researchers and engineers with its unique properties and broad application prospects.

Ti₃AlC₂ is a ternary layered carbide and a member of the MAX phase family. In its chemical formula, M represents the transition metal titanium (Ti), A represents the main group element aluminum (Al), and X is the carbon element (C). This special atomic arrangement gives Ti₃AlC₂ many excellent properties. It has the characteristics of both metals and ceramics, with good electrical and thermal conductivity of metals, and high hardness, high strength, and excellent high-temperature resistance and corrosion resistance of ceramics. For example, the Vickers hardness of Ti₃AlC₂ can reach 4- 5 GPa, which is better than common titanium alloys. The fracture toughness is 6-8MPa・m¹/², which is 2-3 times that of traditional ceramics. The compressive strength exceeds 800MPa. In air at 1000℃, microcracks (< 50μm) can be completely healed within 2 hours, showing excellent crack self-healing ability. ​

The excellent performance determines that Ti₃AlC₂ is very useful in many fields. In the field of aerospace, aircraft need to operate in extreme environments such as high temperatures and high pressures. The high strength, high temperature resistance and good thermal stability of Ti₃AlC₂ make it an ideal material for manufacturing hot end components of aircraft engines and high-temperature structural parts of aircraft, which helps to improve engine performance, reduce aircraft weight and reduce energy consumption. In the energy field, it is also widely used. In nuclear reactors, Ti₃AlC₂ can be used as a structural material.

The lower neutron absorption cross section of aluminum and the ability of the titanium carbide layer to capture irradiation defects make its anti-swelling performance 3 times higher than that of traditional zirconium alloys (volume expansion <2% at a dose of 10²¹ n/cm²). In the case of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) condition, as an accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) coating, the time window for maintaining integrity can be extended to 8-10 times that of traditional zirconium alloys, greatly improving the safety and stability of nuclear reactors. In addition, through specific processes, such as etching with 0.5 wt% HF solution at 40℃ for 12 hours, a single layer of Ti₃C₂Tx can be obtained from Ti₃AlC₂ with a yield of > 90% and a specific surface area of ​​380m²/g (1.5 times that of graphene). This material exhibits a “pseudocapacitor” effect in lithium battery negative electrode applications, maintaining a capacity of 150mAh/g at a rate of 100C and a capacity retention rate of 92% after 500 cycles, which is expected to bring breakthroughs in battery technology. ​

Currently, researchers continue to deepen their research on Ti₃AlC₂. Recently, the green metallurgy team of Beijing University of Science and Technology systematically studied the effect of Sn doping concentration on the oxidation behavior of Ti₃AlC₂ by combining simulation and experiment. The study found that when the Sn doping concentration exceeds 10 mol%, SnO₂ in the oxidation product inhibits the formation of a protective continuous Al₂O₃ layer, thereby reducing the material’s antioxidant properties. This result provides an important theoretical basis and data reference for the design of MAX phase materials with high antioxidant properties. ​
With the continuous deepening of research and the gradual maturity of technology, Ti₃AlC₂ is expected to be commercialized in more fields, providing strong support for solving practical engineering problems and promoting industrial upgrading. I believe that in the near future, this magical material will shine more brightly in various industries and contribute more to the progress of human society. Insoluble matter

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