TITLE: Two-dimensional transition metal carbides for thermal management

AUTHOR: Miguel Muñoz, Energy2Devices, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM) &  University of Twente, The Netherlands

DAY OF THE TALK: September, 24 - 12PM

WHERE: Sala de Seminarios, ICMM-CSIC

ABSTRACT: One of the greatest challenges facing modern society is the efficient consumption, management and utilization of energy.[1] In this context, two-dimensional (2D) carbides of transition metal, referred to as MXenes, have attracted significant attention for energy storage and management owing to their unique properties and potential applications in electronics, batteries, as insulators or in thermoelectric devices. Despite its growing interest, the technological deployment of MXenes for thermal management is still constrained by two major challenges. The first is our ability to synthesize and process a continuous 2D MXene layer over large areas in a scalable and reproducible manner, a prerequisite for industrial implementation. The second is the limited fundamental understanding of their thermal transport mechanisms, which hinders the rational design and optimization of MXene-based thermal management technologies.

In this presentation, I will discuss the recent advances achieved by my research group, Energy2Devices, in addressing some of these challenges. First, I will present a novel synthesis approach that we have developed for the fabrication of high quality, large-area metal carbides, named surface diffusion liquid metal chemical vapor deposition (SDLM-CVD).[2] This method overcomes key limitations associated with both conventional chemical etching routes and previously reported CVD techniques, providing a versatile and scalable platform for the synthesis of MXenes with a wide range of compositions. Second, I will present our recent findings on the temperature- and thickness-dependent thermal transport properties of Ti3C2Tx 2D flakes, [3] one of the most widely studied MXenes. Our results and analysis [4] shed light into the fundamental mechanisms governing heat transport in MXenes and demonstrate the significant potential of these materials for thermal management applications.

References

[1] E. Pop, Nano Research, 3, 147-169, (2010)

[2] X. Xing, A. Khan, M. Ramos Jiménez, R. Elnahas, T. Kutlu, I. Romero-Muñiz, F. Javier Palomares, H. Sahin, J. Pérez Carvajal, J. Faria Albanese, M. Muñoz Rojo. Under review, (2026)

[3] E. Tornero Gasca, B. Liu, S. Ippolito, C. Park, M. van Hemert, H. Ramsden, D. Saleta Reig, A. J. Schmidt, M. Ramos Jimenez, K. Klinar, Y. Gogotsi, K.Tielrooij and M. Muñoz Rojo., Under review (2026)

[4] O. Mateos-Lopez, J. G. Vilhena, I. Armstrong, Hendrik Heinz, M. Muñoz Rojo* and J. Carlos Cuevas*, Under review (2026)

Acknowledgements

These achievements have been possible through the dedication and hard work of all members of Energy2Devices as well as through the collaborations with different research groups. Recognition to these work interactions will be acknowledged and shown during the presentation.