Exploring the potential of exfoliated ternary ultrathin Ti4AlN3 nanosheets for fabricating hybrid patterned polymer brushes

Since the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) materials have been receiving increased attention. The quest for new 2D materials with unique structure and special properties has become urgent. Herein we report on the preparation of a new kind of ternary 2D material, Ti4AlN3 nanosheets, by liquid exfoliation of the corresponding laminated MAX phase. The obtained Ti4AlN3 nanosheets, bearing abundant surface groups, can be further used to fabricate micro-patterns via micro-contact printing (mu CP) and subsequently functionalized through self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP) to achieve MAX-based hybrid patterned polymer brushes. Our work opens a door to explore the synthesis of 2D hybrid materials for functional applications based on the traditional MAX phases.