In 2011, a new family of two dimensional (2D) carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides – labeled MXenes – was discovered. Since then the number of papers on these materials has increased exponentially for several reasons amongst them: their hydrophilic nature, excellent electronic conductivities and ease of synthesizing large quantities in water. This unique combination of properties and ease of processing has positioned them as enabling materials for a large, and quite varied, host of applications from energy storage to electromagnetic shielding, transparent conductive electrodes, electrocatalysis, to name a few. Since the initial synthesis of Ti₃C₂ in hydrofluoric acid, many more compositions were discovered, and different synthesis pathways were explored. Most of the work done so far has been conducted on top-down synthesis where a layered parent compound is etched and then exfoliated. Three bottom-up synthesis methods, chemical vapor deposition, a template method and plasma enhanced pulsed laser deposition have been reported. The latter methods enable the synthesis of not only high-quality ultrathin 2D transition metal carbide and nitride films, but also those that could not be synthesized by selective etching. This article reviews and summarizes the most important breakthroughs in the synthesis of MXenes and high-quality ultrathin 2D transition metal carbide and nitride films.

在2011年，发现了一个新的二维（2D）碳化物，碳氮化物和氮化物系列-标记为MXenes。从那时起，有关这些材料的论文数量呈指数级增长，原因有以下几个：亲水性，出色的电子电导率和易于在水中合成的数量。这种独特的性能和易加工性相结合，使它们成为了从能源存储到电磁屏蔽，透明导电电极，电催化等众多应用的支持材料。自从最初合成Ti ₃ C ₂以来在氢氟酸中，发现了更多的成分，并探索了不同的合成途径。迄今为止完成的大部分工作都是自上而下进行的，先蚀刻分层的母体化合物然后剥离。已经报道了三种自下而上的合成方法，化学气相沉积，模板方法和等离子体增强脉冲激光沉积。后一种方法不仅可以合成高质量的超薄2D过渡金属碳化物和氮化物膜，而且还可以合成那些无法通过选择性蚀刻合成的膜。本文回顾并总结了MXene和高质量超薄2D过渡金属碳化物和氮化物膜合成方面最重要的突破。