2D Ti3C2Tx flakes prepared by in-situ HF etchant for simultaneous screening of carbamate pesticides

Present work reports preparation of colloidal single/few layer Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene flakes using minimally intensive layer delamination (MILD) method for rapid electroanalytical screening of carbamate pesticides . Lithium fluoride salt and hydrochloric acid (7.5 M LiF/9M HCl) was used to produce in-situ generated HF as etchant to remove Al successfully from Ti 3 AlC 2 MAX phase. Unlike the clay method (5 M LiF/6M HCl), this methodology simplified Ti 3 C 2 T x synthesis protocol resulting in Li + ions intercalated Ti 3 C 2 T x which was delaminated without further sonication . The delaminated Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes were found to be single/few layered sheets with mostly –OH and –O terminated surface groups. The characteristic 002 peak observed in X-ray diffraction (XRD) at 2θ = 6.4° with interplaner distance of 1.1137 nm suggested broadening of the peak attributed to the presence of Li + ions between Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes. Delaminated Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes were utilized as working electrode which demonstrated simultaneous and selective detection of carbamate pesticides methiocarb and diethofencarb by voltammetry . The oxidation peaks of the two pesticides were well separated by a potential difference of 0.35 V in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and DPV detection limits were calculated as 0.19 μg mL −1 and 0.46 μg mL −1 for methiocarb and diethofencarb respectively. Ti 3 C 2 T x flakes as electrochemical sensor exhibited long term stability and acceptable recoveries in real sample for environmental applications.