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Facet-Selective Electrostatic Assembling of 2D Mxene onto Anisotropic Single-Crystal Metal Oxides for Enhanced Photocatalysis

Kashiwaya, Shun ; Myakala, Stephen Nagaraju ; Nekita, Sho ; Tsuji, Yuta ; Niu, Yuran LU ; Liu, Xianjie ; Qin, Leiqiang ; Sharma, Manisha ; Zakharov, Alexei LU and Hultman, Lars , et al. (2026) In Advanced Materials
Abstract

Designing composite photocatalytic systems with nanoscale precision is crucial. While conventional facet-selective photo-deposition successfully utilizes spherical co-catalysts, the directed deposition of pre-synthesized two-dimensional (2D) materials onto specific facets remains extremely challenging. This work demonstrates an electrostatic assembly strategy for the precise deposition of 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) onto anisotropic single-crystal semiconducting metal oxides. By precisely controlling the solution pH, we modulated the surface charge of the MXenes and the distinct crystallographic facets of the metal oxides, enabling selective deposition driven by electrostatic attraction. Negatively charged Mo4/3C... (More)

Designing composite photocatalytic systems with nanoscale precision is crucial. While conventional facet-selective photo-deposition successfully utilizes spherical co-catalysts, the directed deposition of pre-synthesized two-dimensional (2D) materials onto specific facets remains extremely challenging. This work demonstrates an electrostatic assembly strategy for the precise deposition of 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) onto anisotropic single-crystal semiconducting metal oxides. By precisely controlling the solution pH, we modulated the surface charge of the MXenes and the distinct crystallographic facets of the metal oxides, enabling selective deposition driven by electrostatic attraction. Negatively charged Mo4/3C MXenes were selectively deposited on the electron-rich (101) surface of TiO2 at pH 3, the (100) surface of Cu2O exposed at pH 11, and the (010) surface of BiVO4 at pH 1.5. The high facet selectivity was confirmed through a combination of advanced techniques, including electron microscopy, electron spectroscopy, and synchrotron-based spectromicroscopy. This selective interfacial engineering promotes spatially separated charge carrier migration toward distinct facets, while Schottky barriers form at the MXenes/oxides interfaces. The MXenes act as efficient reduction co-catalysts, facilitating the rapid consumption of electrons, thereby enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This work establishes a generalizable, non-photolytic method for integrating challenging 2D co-catalysts with facet-engineered semiconductors for designing composite photocatalysts.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
2D materials, anisotropic oxides, facet-engineering, photocatalysis
in
Advanced Materials
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:105029537135
ISSN
0935-9648
DOI
10.1002/adma.202519087
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
789318a3-bde0-4a61-892e-ab60f248a0b8
date added to LUP
2026-03-02 11:01:19
date last changed
2026-03-02 11:01:43
@article{789318a3-bde0-4a61-892e-ab60f248a0b8,
  abstract     = {{<p>Designing composite photocatalytic systems with nanoscale precision is crucial. While conventional facet-selective photo-deposition successfully utilizes spherical co-catalysts, the directed deposition of pre-synthesized two-dimensional (2D) materials onto specific facets remains extremely challenging. This work demonstrates an electrostatic assembly strategy for the precise deposition of 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) onto anisotropic single-crystal semiconducting metal oxides. By precisely controlling the solution pH, we modulated the surface charge of the MXenes and the distinct crystallographic facets of the metal oxides, enabling selective deposition driven by electrostatic attraction. Negatively charged Mo<sub>4/3</sub>C MXenes were selectively deposited on the electron-rich (101) surface of TiO<sub>2</sub> at pH 3, the (100) surface of Cu<sub>2</sub>O exposed at pH 11, and the (010) surface of BiVO<sub>4</sub> at pH 1.5. The high facet selectivity was confirmed through a combination of advanced techniques, including electron microscopy, electron spectroscopy, and synchrotron-based spectromicroscopy. This selective interfacial engineering promotes spatially separated charge carrier migration toward distinct facets, while Schottky barriers form at the MXenes/oxides interfaces. The MXenes act as efficient reduction co-catalysts, facilitating the rapid consumption of electrons, thereby enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This work establishes a generalizable, non-photolytic method for integrating challenging 2D co-catalysts with facet-engineered semiconductors for designing composite photocatalysts.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kashiwaya, Shun and Myakala, Stephen Nagaraju and Nekita, Sho and Tsuji, Yuta and Niu, Yuran and Liu, Xianjie and Qin, Leiqiang and Sharma, Manisha and Zakharov, Alexei and Hultman, Lars and Eder, Dominik and Saito, Hikaru and Cherevan, Alexey and Rosen, Johanna}},
  issn         = {{0935-9648}},
  keywords     = {{2D materials; anisotropic oxides; facet-engineering; photocatalysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Advanced Materials}},
  title        = {{Facet-Selective Electrostatic Assembling of 2D Mxene onto Anisotropic Single-Crystal Metal Oxides for Enhanced Photocatalysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202519087}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/adma.202519087}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}