Transition metal carbides (MXenes) are an emerging family of highly conductive two-dimensional materials with additional functional properties introduced by surface terminations. Further modification of the surface terminations makes MXenes even more appealing for practical applications. Herein, we report a facile and environmentally benign synthesis of reduced Ti₃C₂T_x MXene (r-Ti₃C₂T_x) via a simple treatment with L-ascorbic acid at room temperature. r-Ti₃C₂T_x shows a six-fold increase in electrical conductivity, from 471 ± 49 for regular Ti₃C₂T_x to 2819 ± 306 S m⁻¹ for the reduced version. Additionally, we show an enhanced oxidation stability of r-Ti₃C₂T_x as compared to regular Ti₃C₂T_x. An examination of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity reveals that the SERS enhancement factor of r-Ti₃C₂T_x is an order of magnitude higher than that of regular Ti₃C₂T_x. The improved SERS activity of r-Ti₃C₂T_x is attributed to the charge transfer interaction between the MXene surface and probe molecules, re-enforced by an increased electronic density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level of r-Ti₃C₂T_x. The findings of this study suggest that reduced MXene could be a superior choice over regular MXene, especially for the applications that employ high electronic conductivity, such as electrode materials for batteries and supercapacitors, photodetectors, and SERS-based sensors.

This review provides an overview of the fabrication methods for Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based hybrid photocatalysts and evaluates their role in degrading organic dye pollutants. Ti₃C₂T_x MXene has emerged as a promising material for hybrid photocatalysts due to its high metallic conductivity, excellent hydrophilicity, strong molecular adsorption, and efficient charge transfer. These properties facilitate faster charge separation and minimize electron–hole recombination, leading to exceptional photodegradation performance, long-term stability, and significant attention in dye degradation applications. Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based hybrid photocatalysts significantly improve dye degradation efficiency, as evidenced by higher percentage degradation and reduced degradation time compared to conventional semiconducting materials. This review also highlights computational techniques employed to assess and enhance the performance of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based hybrid photocatalysts for dye degradation. It identifies the challenges associated with Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based hybrid photocatalyst research and proposes potential solutions, outlining future research directions to address these obstacles effectively.

Bismuth oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se) has recently emerged as a promising 2D material for high-performance electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, its true potential is yet to be explored for chemical sensing applications. The present investigation highlights the first demonstration of a Bi2O2Se nanosheets-based sensor for non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A solution-phase method is employed to synthesize Bi2O2Se nanosheets. Cyclic voltammetry is performed to study the quantitative detection of H2O2 with a reduction potential of -0.68 V vs. Ag/AgCl in nitrogen-saturated 0.1 M PBS (pH 7.4). The Bi2O2Se nanosheets-based H2O2 sensor shows efficient detection of H2O2 in the range of 50 - 500 M with a sensitivity of 100 A mA-1 cm-2, and negligible interference was observed for most of the common interferents such as NaCl, ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine. Furthermore, the applicability of this electrochemical approach for practical applications is confirmed by the observation of concentration-dependent effect of H2O2 on the reduction current in artificial sweat, making Bi2O2Se nanosheets a compelling electrocatalyst candidate for the development of new wearable glucose sensors

This study investigates the phase-controlled growth of flakes and films of 2D MoTe ₂ by atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition and presents a thorough understanding on the growth mechanism.