A groundbreaking study published in Advanced Functional Materials on February 16, 2025, unveiled a novel MXene thin film protected by reduced graphene oxide (rGO), termed rGM. This innovative film boasts exceptional charge transfer capabilities and the remarkable ability to stay stable in the ambient air. The protective rGO layer effectively shields the conducting layer of MXene from air oxidation, significantly enhancing air stability. After 40 days of exposure to air at 25°C and 40% relative humidity, the membrane resistance of the rGM film (135.9±2.3Ω/sq - 312.6±4.5Ω/sq) showed negligible amplification compared to the pure MXene film (145.0±2.3Ω/sq - 2,152.8±6.8Ω/sq).
The MXene film, synthesized in situ with L-ascorbic acid to form the protective rGO, is bonded together via Ti─O─C bonds, effectively preventing air oxidation. This bond formation creates a built-in electric field (BIEF) at the heterojunction interface, leading to changes in the surface electronic structure, generating a high density of electron flow, facilitating charge transfer and ion diffusion. Consequently, it significantly reduces the electrode/biological tissue interface impedance, enabling the application of rGM as a biointerface thin film electrode, capable of accurately collecting neural signals.
The development of high-air-stability MXene biointerface thin film electrodes holds promising implications for various fields, including biomedicine, biosensors, and neuroengineering. By leveraging the enhanced charge transfer capabilities and air stability of rGM, researchers can delve deeper into studying neural signals with higher precision and accuracy. Additionally, the advancements in electrode technology pave the way for improved biomedical devices, neuroprosthetics, and bioelectronic interfaces.
This new type of rGO MXene composite film not only demonstrates the potential of MXene in bioelectronic materials, but also provides new ideas and solutions for the research and development of future wearable medical devices, emergency medical devices, and biosensors.
Literature name: An Air‐Stable MXene Bio‐Interfacing Thin Film Electrode
