Stability of Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub><i>x</i></sub> MXene Films and Devices under Clinical Sterilization Processes
Spencer Averbeck, Doris Xu, Brendan B. Murphy, Kateryna Shevchuk, Sneha Shankar, Mark Anayee, Marcelo D. T. Torres, Michael S. Beauchamp, César de la Fuente‐Núñez, Yury Gogotsi, Flavia Vitale
Abstract
MXenes are being heavily investigated in biomedical research, with applications ranging from regenerative medicine to bioelectronics. To enable the adoption and integration of MXenes into therapeutic platforms and devices, however, their stability under standard sterilization procedures must be established. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the electrical, chemical, structural, and mechanical effects of common thermal (autoclave) and chemical (ethylene oxide (EtO) and H 2 O 2 gas plasma) sterilization protocols on both thin-film Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene microelectrodes and mesoscale arrays made from Ti 3 C 2 T x -infused cellulose–elastomer composites. We also evaluate the effectiveness of the sterilization processes in eliminating all pathogens from the Ti 3 C 2 T x films and composites. Post-sterilization analysis revealed that autoclave and EtO did not alter the DC conductivity, electrochemical impedance, surface morphology, or crystallographic structure of Ti 3 C 2 T x and were both effective at eliminating E. coli from both types of Ti 3 C 2 T x -based devices. On the other end, exposure to H 2 O 2 gas plasma sterilization for 45 min induced severe degradation of the structure and properties of Ti 3 C 2 T x films and composites. The stability of the Ti 3 C 2 T x after EtO and autoclave sterilization and the complete removal of pathogens establish the viability of both sterilization processes for Ti 3 C 2 T x -based technologies.