SYMPOSIUM 12: Layered and Low-Dimensional Carbides, Nitrides, Borides, and Related Materials

The MAX and MAB phases are thermodynamically stable nanolaminates of early transition metals carbides, nitrides, and borides. These nanolayered structures have an unusual and unique combination of metal-like and ceramic-like properties, such as machinability, good electrical/thermal conductivity, high thermal shock resistance, good oxidation/corrosion resistance, stiffness at high temperatures, etc. The unique properties of the MAX/MAB phases make them appealing candidate materials for diverse potential industrial applications.  

Rather recently, it was shown that it is possible to selectively etch certain atomic layers out of the crystal structure and to separate nanolaminated blocks of these transition metal compounds to form 2D solids (MXenes, MBenes). Despite their relatively short history, MXenes (the 2D phases resulting from the removal of A layers from the corresponding MAX phases) have attracted major interest due to their unique properties, such as excellent electrical conductivity, surface functionality, and tunability.  

Symposium 12 focuses on the design, processing, composition-structure-property relationships, thermal, electrical, optoelectronic, solid-lubrication and mechanical properties, stability, oxidation/corrosion resistance, radiation tolerance, as well as envisaged potential applications of these unique nanolaminated compounds in their 2D and 3D forms. In addition, exploratory research on further expanding the chemistry of these ternary compounds, such as high-entropy systems and next-generation ternary borides, is also invited. 

Proposed Session Topics 

• Design of novel compositions and processing/manufacturing methods 

• Methods for improving damage tolerance, oxidation/corrosion and thermal shock resistance 

• Novel applications and device fabrication (electrochemical energy storage, biosensors, etc.) of MAX/MAB phases and MXenes/MBenes 

• Studies of electronic, optical, plasmonic and thermoelectric properties 

• Theoretical calculations for the design and prediction of the behavior of MAX/MAB phases and MXenes/MBenes 

• Nuclear applications of MAX/MAB phases 

Symposium Organizers: 

• Surojit Gupta, University of North Dakota, USA 

• Miladin Radovic, Texas A&M University, USA 

• Babak Anasori, Purdue University, USA 

• Konstantina Lambrinou, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield 

• Jochen M. Schneider, RWTH Aachen University, Germany 

• Thierry Cabioch, Université de Poitiers, France 

• Sylvain Dubois, Université de Poitiers, France 

• Per Eklund, Uppsala University, Sweden 

• Johanna Rosen, Linköping University, Sweden 

• Chenxu Wang, Peking University, China  

Points of Contact: 

• Surojit Gupta; surojit.gupta@engr.und.edu  

• Miladin Radovic; mradovic@tamu.edu 

• Konstantina Lambrinou; K.Lambrinou@hud.ac.uk 

• Chenxu Wang; cxwang@pku.edu.cn