Work

Eco‐Friendly Production of 2D Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and Cytotoxicity Mitigation Toward Biomedical Applications

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: 2D MXenes find applications in several technology fields. Solution processing techniques can facilitate the integration of these materials within the technological supply chain. Here, a highly concentrated (up to 1.5 g L −1 ) and stable dispersion of 2D Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene flakes is produced by an environmentally friendly liquid phase exfoliation process (LPE) in dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene). The flakes preserve their elemental composition after 6 months, while those exfoliated in N‐Methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), a commonly used solvent, undergo significant oxidation. The cytotoxicity of the MXene flakes in Cyrene and in NMP is investigated by assessing the cellular viability in a human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell line, which is a relevant model for skin applications. The data show that the MXene flakes in Cyrene induce cytotoxic effects for a dose > 1 µg cm −2 , as similarly observed for the MXene flakes in NMP. Efforts are made to overcome this by collecting the MXene flakes and redispersing them in a solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA). MXene in BSA does not affect cellular viability and cell morphology, possibly due to the formation of a protective protein corona around the individual MXene flakes. These findings illustrate an environmentally friendly strategy to produce biocompatible 2D MXene for biomedical applications.

Source: Advanced Materials Interfaces

DOI: 10.1002/admi.202400203