In this study, two-dimensional (2-D) transition metal carbide was synthesized from a layered MAX phase. The initial powders of titanium hydrate (TiH2), aluminium (Al) and graphite (C) was weighed according to the stoichiometry ratio of 3:1.1:2. The mixture was ball-milled for 20, 40, 60 and 80 hours at 300 rpm to study the phase formation during the process. It found that the 60 hours was the optimum milling period to yield the highest purity of Ti₃AlC₂ with the diameter of 1 μm with the least oxide compound. The optimum ball-milled mixture was selected to cold-pressed for 40 MPa to form a pellet with the diameter of 1 cm and thickness of 3 mm by using the stainless-steel mould. A layered of MAX phase Ti3AlC2 was synthesized through pressureless sintering (PLS)and the pellet was placed in alumina cricuble without preliminary dehydrogenation under argon atmosphere at 1350 ˚C for two hours with the heating rate of 10 ºC/minutes. An elegant exfoliation approach was used to eliminates Al from its precursor to form a layered structure of 2-D Ti₃C₂ by immersing Ti₃AlC₂ in hydrofluoric (HF) solution for 20 hours. Morphological and structural properties of this 2-D Ti₃C₂ also studied. SEM images shows two types of morphology consist of a layer of Ti₃C₂ and the agglomerates Al2O3 with graphite. The images of layered Ti₃C₂ with the thickness of 0.1-1.0 µm confirms the successful exfoliation of Ti₃C₂. XRD pattern reveals three phases in this material which is a rhombohedral Al2O3, graphite and Ti₃C₂ phases. The formation of Ti₃C₂ phase in XRD pattern was attributed to the ultrasonication the mixture in methanol leads to exfoliation of MXene Ti₃C₂. Thermal conductivity of MAX phase and 2-D MXene was studied by absolute axial heat flow method in unit of watt/meter kelvin (W/m.K). A pellet of MAX phase and 2-D Ti3C2 with the thickness of 1 mm was placed in between the plate and thermal conductivity of materials was recorded for 5 different voltage supplied. Electrical conductivities of both MAX phase and 2-D MXene was measured by using 2-point probe to determine its bulk resistivity thus calculate the electrical conductivity of materials. The result reveals differences between the theoretical and experimental value of the thermal and electrical conductivity of Ti3C2 and Ti3AlC2 due to percolation behaviour during cold-press process. Radon (Rn) measurement was carried out in established Rn monitor to study the rate of exhalation of Rn in various temperature and humidity for five consecutive days, thus estimates the radiation level of the materials.Measurements of Rn levels are normally expressed as the concentration of Rn in units of picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend values is must be lower than 4 pCi/L to be considered average exposure for industry usage. The highest radiation concentration was recorded at day 5 (1.2 pCi/L) which is lower that the suggested value by US EPA.
