Highly Mineralized 2D Natural Composites Structure Opens Pathways to Bioinspired MXene-Based Composites

Abstract

MXene is a new class of two-dimensional (2D) materials with an excellent combination of mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties. These materials can be designed for specialized applications using a plethora of element combinations and surface termination layers, making them an attractive material for highly optimized multifunctional composites. However, multiple critical engineering applications demand that such composites balance specialized functions with mechanical demands. The current knowledge of the mechanical performance and optimized traits necessary for MXene-based composite design is severely limited. Here we review structure-function connections for highly mineralized 2D natural composites such as nacre and exoskeletal of windowpane oysters to extract underlying design principles relevant for MXene-based engineered systems. Finally, we discuss future perspectives and opportunities for MXene-based composites in areas of multiscale modeling, nanomechanical characterization, and potential machine-learning design approaches to present a path forward