SBIR Fast-Track: Development of a Continuous Flow Reactor Technology for Industrial-Grade MXene Production: A Safer, High-Throughput Alternative to Batch Processing

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project is the development of a safer and scalable manufacturing platform for a class of two-dimensional materials known as titanium carbide MXenes. These materials possess high electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and chemical tunability, enabling applications in energy storage, lightweight electromagnetic interference shielding, flexible electronics, and thermal management. Despite their promise, MXenes are currently produced using hazardous batch chemical processes that limit output, increase worker exposure to corrosive reagents, and constrain commercial adoption. This project aims to replace those methods with a closed-loop continuous manufacturing system that reduces hazardous chemical inventory, improves process control, and lowers production cost. By enabling reliable large-scale production, this innovation supports domestic advanced manufacturing, strengthens supply chain resilience in microelectronics and defense sectors, and reduces reliance on scarce conductive materials. The first market segment reached will include high-value defense and specialty electronics applications that require kilogram-scale supply and consistent material performance. The proposed business model focuses on direct material supply to industrial customers, allowing expansion into larger-volume markets as manufacturing efficiency improves. The technology is expected to provide durable competitive positioning by combining process innovation, intellectual property protection, and early customer integration. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track project investigates the feasibility of continuous, pressurized, solid–liquid selective etching of Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase to produce Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene. Conventional synthesis relies on open batch reactors in which reaction kinetics, mass transport, and acid concentration gradients are not well controlled at scale. The research objective is to determine whether selective aluminum removal can be achieved reproducibly under continuous flow conditions while maintaining flake integrity and structural quality. Phase I component will design and evaluate a benchtop continuous-flow reactor with an active volume of approximately 100 milliliters, operating at elevated temperature and moderate backpressure to accelerate etching kinetics. A structured experimental design will systematically vary residence time, temperature, pressure, solids loading, and acid concentration to quantify conditions required to achieve at least ninety percent aluminum removal. Structural transformation will be assessed using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements following delamination. The anticipated outcome is a validated kinetic and transport dataset that establishes operating windows for stable continuous etching. The Phase II component will integrate continuous etching with downstream processing to demonstrate pilot-scale modular production capable of kilogram-level monthly throughput. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.