This study applies Bradford’s law of scattering to evaluate global MXene research published from 2012 to 2026, using data from the Scopus database. The analysis confirms that Bradford’s law accurately describes the MXene literature, highlighting a core of productive journals. The total number of documents of various types that appeared during the years 2012–2026 is 30,698, including 25,921 articles from 1321 journals. The dataset reflects the interdisciplinary growth of MXenes over the past decade. A four-zone Bradford distribution with a multiplier of 7.25 was identified, supporting targeted journal selection to access relevant research and foster innovation in this promising 2D material.
Platinum (Pt) remains the benchmark catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), yet its performance in alkaline media is limited by sluggish water dissociation kinetics. Herein, we report a facile polyol synthesis of Pt nanoparticles supported on delaminated Mo2CTz MXene labeled d-Mo2CTz and comparison is made with a reference Pt/carbon (C) catalyst at similar metal loadings. While structural analyses reveal comparable particle sizes, enabling isolation of support effects, XPS and electrochemical measurements evidence metal support interaction in Pt/d-Mo2CTz, leading to modified hydrogen adsorption behavior. As a result, Pt/d-Mo2CTz exhibits enhanced HER activity in alkaline media, requiring an overpotential as low as 48 mV at − 10 mA cm− 2 to be compared to 70 mV for Pt/C. This enhanced activity is attributed to two different phenomena: Pt ensures hydrogen recombination and the MXene support promotes water adsorption, activation, and hydroxide removal thanks to its hydrophilic/oxophilic properties. These findings highlight the active role of MXene supports in tuning Pt electrocatalysis properties and provide new design strategies for efficient alkaline electrolyzers.
Graphene oxide (GO) is a widely utilized precursor for scalable graphene production. However, conventional reduction methods to convert GO to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) rely on hazardous chemicals which present significant environmental and safety concerns. Green chemistry–based reduction strategies have therefore gained increasing attention as sustainable alternatives for synthesizing rGO. This review critically evaluates recent progress in plant-extract-mediated reduction of GO, emphasizing the dual functionality of phytochemicals as reducing and stabilizing agents under environmentally benign conditions. The sustainability advantages of these approaches, including reduced toxicity, renewable feedstocks, and potential cost-effectiveness, are systematically assessed alongside their scalability prospects. Key limitations, such as variability in phytochemical composition, reproducibility challenges, and insufficient process standardization, are also examined in the context of industrial implementation. Furthermore, future research directions focusing on mechanistic elucidation, process optimization, and integration into scalable manufacturing frameworks are proposed.
The optical and electronic properties of a two-dimensional (2D) material are profoundly influenced by the nature of its underlying substrate, thereby making the substrate-material interactions a vital factor for both fundamental studies and technological applications. These interactions can significantly modify the electronic structure and optical response of the 2D system, providing a powerful means to tailor and optimize their properties. In this study, we employ optical spectroscopy, including Raman and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, to probe the effects of the substrate on monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs): tungsten disulfide (WS2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2). The films were synthesized by the laser-assisted synthesis technique (LAST) on silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) substrates and subsequently transferred onto interdigitated Si–Si/SiO2 platforms to study the effects of bare Si and Si/SiO2 surfaces on these materials. The optical response of the 2D single crystals on bare Si and Si/SiO2 substrates reveals pronounced substrate-induced modifications, underscoring the critical influence of the supporting surface. Portions of the monolayers of WS2 and WSe2 on the Si/SiO2 areas of the interdigitated substrate showed strong Raman and PL signals, while on the bare Si regions, these signals were relatively weaker or strongly suppressed. Additionally, strong PL quenching, approximately 10-fold for WS2 and 13-fold for WSe2, was evident. A slight shift in the PL peak was also observed, which was more pronounced in WSe2. We rationalize these observations via first-principles calculations identifying band alignments and surface interactions as the mechanisms producing the PL quenching in TMDCs on Si substrates. Our findings highlight the potential of substrate engineering to tune the optoelectronic performance of 2D materials for advanced device applications, thereby opening new perspectives in microelectronics.
Graphene-based materials, including graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), graphane, graphone, fluorographene, graphyne, and graphdiyne, have emerged as a versatile family of two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials with exceptional potential for pesticide detection, environmental remediation, and sustainable agriculture. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, physicochemical properties, and pesticide detection and removal applications of graphene derivatives. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between synthesis strategies, structural engineering, defect modulation, surface functionalization, electronic properties, and adsorption behavior, which collectively determine the performance of graphene-derived materials in pesticide sensing, adsorption, and photocatalytic degradation. The review further discusses the distinctive properties of graphene derivatives, including their ultrahigh specific surface area, tunable electronic conductivity, excellent mechanical strength, rich surface chemistry, and superior adsorption capacity, which enable enhanced interaction with pesticide molecules and improved analytical sensitivity and catalytic efficiency. In addition, the review highlights the major challenges associated with large-scale synthesis, cost-effective production, structural stability, material reproducibility, selectivity in complex environmental matrices, environmental fate, toxicity, and industrial commercialization. This review bridges the gap between fundamental material design and real-world agricultural and environmental applications, providing valuable insights for the development of next-generation graphene-based technologies for efficient pesticide monitoring, removal, and sustainable environmental management.
