ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Engineering photoluminescence in MXene quantum dots: interplay of surface states, quantum confinement, and defect chemistry for optoelectronic applications

Enas Daoud, Taif Mahdi Saleh, R. Roopashree, Subhashree Ray, Baraa Mohammed Yaseen, V. Kavitha, Renu Sharma, Aashna Sinha, and Ahmad Mohebi

Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan

E-mail: a.mohebiacademic@gmail.com

Received: 24 December 2025  Accepted: 4 February 2026

Abstract:

MXene quantum dots (MQDs) have emerged as a distinct class of zero-dimensional nanomaterials with unique photoluminescence (PL) properties that fundamentally differ from those of conventional semiconductor quantum dots. Unlike their metallic or semi-metallic two-dimensional MXene precursors, MQDs exhibit tunable light emission originating from a complex interplay of quantum confinement, surface-state formation, and defect-induced electronic reconstruction. In this work, we present a comprehensive and mechanism-oriented analysis of the factors governing PL in MQDs, with particular emphasis on surface chemistry, chemical terminations, and defect states. We demonstrate that PL in MQDs cannot be explained solely by classical quantum confinement models, but instead arises from hybrid emission pathways in which surface-localized states, defect-related trap levels, and confined core states cooperatively regulate exciton recombination dynamics. The roles of surface termination engineering, fluorine elimination, heteroatom doping, and surface rigidification in modulating band structure, suppressing non-radiative recombination, and mitigating Auger processes are discussed. Furthermore, we correlate these photophysical mechanisms with device-level performance in optoelectronic applications, including white-light-emitting diodes, ultraviolet photonics, lasers, and optoelectronic memory devices. This work provides a unified framework for rational PL engineering in MQDs and establishes design guidelines for next-generation multifunctional optoelectronic systems.

Keywords: MXene quantum dots; Photoluminescence engineering; Surface states; Quantum confinement; Defect chemistry; Optoelectronic applications

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04715-7

Chemical Papers 80 (6) 5829–5847 (2026)