Potential and Trend of MXene in Smart Biocomposites Applications: A Review

ABSTRACT

MXene‐based biocomposites are emerging as multifunctional smart materials that combine the high electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry, layered architecture, and electrochemical activity of MXenes with the flexibility, processability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of biopolymers. This review provides an assessment of MXene synthesis and structure, surface chemistry, fabrication strategies, structure–property relationships, and applications. Top–down and bottom–up synthesis routes are discussed alongside solution casting, filtration, electrospinning, freeze–drying, coating, layer‐by‐layer assembly, melt processing, and in situ polymerization. This review further highlights the electrical and thermal transport, surface chemistry, and optical and photothermal behavior of MXene‐based composites and their roles in energy storage, sensing and health monitoring, environmental remediation, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, and smart food packaging. Across these applications, performance is governed by MXene loading, flake morphology, surface terminations, interfacial bonding, and suppression of restacking. Despite substantial progress, oxidation, batch variability, reproducibility, processing complexity, scalability, and long‐term stability remain significant barriers to deployment. Future research should establish quantitative structure–processing–property relationships, standardized testing, realistic durability assessment, and scalable manufacturing. Significant attention to MXene migration, ecotoxicity, life‐cycle impacts, and technoeconomic feasibility is also required. Addressing these factors will be essential for translating MXene‐based biocomposites from laboratory demonstrations into reliable, sustainable, and commercially viable technologies.