Two-Dimensional Titanium Nitride (Ti2N) MXene: Synthesis, Characterization, and Potential Application as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrate

We report on the synthesis, characterization, and application of Ti2N (MXene), a two-dimensional transition metal nitride of M2X type. Synthesis of nitride-based MXenes (Mn+1Nn) is difficult due to their higher formation energy from Mn+1ANn and poor stability of Mn+1Nn layers in the etchant employed, typically HF. Herein, the selective etching of Al from ternary layered transition metal nitride Ti2AlN (MAX) and intercalation were achieved by immersing the powder in a mixture of potassium fluoride and hydrochloric acid. The multilayered Ti2NTx (T is the surface termination) obtained was sonicated in DMSO and centrifuged to obtain few-layered Ti2NTx. MXene formation was verified, and the material was completely characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, FESEM-EDS, TEM, STM, and AFM techniques. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of the synthesized Ti2NTx was investigated by fabricating paper, silicon, and glass-based SERS substrates. A Raman enhancement factor of 1012 was demonstrated using rhodamine 6G as the model compound with 532 nm excitation wavelength. Detection of trace level explosives with a simple paper-based SERS substrate with Ti2N (MXene) as active material was also illustrated.