5. Perspectives and challenges

MAX phases are relatively young compared with technical ceramics. In spite of this, they compare favourably with their predecessors, even surpassing them in certain structural properties while combining them with properties rarely found in the family of ceramics:

• thermal and electrical conductivity ;

• machinability ;

• resistance to thermal shock.

MAX phases (and the MXenes associated with them), however attractive their properties, will only be able to establish themselves, and develop, in the face of today's technical ceramics if the following challenges are met.

• Composition control

  The unique properties of MAX phases are certain. However, there are many discrepancies,...