MXenes – based systems as photocatalysts

Abstract

This bibliographic report summarizes the use of MXenes in photocatalysis based on the research of different papers published in the recent years. MXenes are two-dimensional materials formed by layers of carbides or nitrides, mostly carbides that have many applications in different fields. Due to their unique physicochemical properties, they are used in photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, lithium-ion batteries and biomedicine, among others. One of the most promising applications is photocatalysis. It has been analyzed that MXenes could have remarkable properties that allow a rapid separation of photogenerated charge carriers acting as photocatalysts. MXenes also have abundant superficial groups on the surface that allow them to have a high efficiency in photoconversion. For these reasons, both theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out to demonstrate the potential of MXenes in different photocatalytic applications. This bibliographic study aims, on one hand, to relate the composition, structure and terminal groups to their photocatalytic behavior and, in addition, to acknowledge in which photocatalytic processes they have been applied and which are the most studied