Khalifa University’s Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) along with partners at the University of Padua (Italy), and Carbon-Ukraine (Ukraine), are working together with the Drexel University’s A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and the Department of Materials Science & Engineering to develop methodologies for MXene production.
This three-year international project, one of three under RIC2D’s inaugural call, aims to establish and scale up the industrial production of MXenes, a rapidly growing family of two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. The project will focus on two critically important applications: water desalination and advanced biomedical analysis.
“Exploring these MXene applications at a greater scale will certainly expand the capabilities of this family of materials and offer vital opportunities to people in need of more drinking water, and cell labeling and tracking for crucial clinical research and medical diagnostics.” – Professor Yury Gogotsi.
Water desalination and biomedical applications are among the fields in which MXenes have shown great promise. This study is focused on two key areas:
For MX-Innovation, the aim is to develop production methodologies for these specific purposes, whilst paving the way to producing MXenes at a commercial scale.
MXenes offer more than a thousand potential stoichiometric compositions and an infinite number of solid solutions, becoming the fastest-growing family of 2D materials beyond graphene. Thanks to their outstanding physicochemical properties, they have attracted academic and industrial interest, being evaluated for a variety of applications, from energy storage, catalysis, and biomedicine to communications and sensing.
Despite the increasing demand for large quantities of MXenes, there are no companies selling inexpensive, high-quality MXenes in commercial quantities to meet the demands of this emerging market. MXene commercial availability will enable their widespread use for industrial applications and academic research worldwide. The MX-INNOVATION project will develop methodologies to establish and scale up manufacturing of MXenes in the UAE and explore their use in two important applications.
Water Desalination:
MXenes will be used as electrodes for Hybrid Capacitive Deionization (HCDI) of brackish waters and potentially seawater. A pilot-level HCDI device with an increased salt removal capacity will be developed and water desalination will be demonstrated.”
Biomedical Analysis:
MX-INNOVATION will exploit the versatile chemistry of MXenes enabling their detection by single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF), a groundbreaking platform that is already replacing fluorescent-based cell tracking systems worldwide in clinical settings. By developing a variety of MXene nanotags for biolabeling in vitro and in vivo, we will revolutionize current tracking methods and bioimaging systems.
Funding Program: RIC2D Open Call 2022
Project Reference: OC077
Date Approved: 25th October, 2023
Revised Date: 21 May 2025 (Following AU withdrawal)
Project Document: Schedule 1: Finalized Scope of Work
The project, organized by Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D), brings together a world-class team of researchers from four institutions across the globe:
“The partnership… is well-aligned, as both institutions share a strong focus on commercializing the research. Ultimately, RIC2D in the UAE will serve as the hub for deploying these innovative MXene-based technologies…” – Professor Hassan Arafat, Khalifa University.
