The successful synthesis of pure boron nitride (BN) nanotubes is reported here. Multi-walled tubes with inner diameters on the order of 1 to 3 nanometers and with lengths up to 200 nanometers were produced in a carbon-free plasma discharge between a BN-packed tungsten rod and a cooled copper electrode. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy on individual tubes yielded B:N ratios of approximately 1, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of stable BN tube structures.

We report the successful synthesis of B C~N, nanotubes. Arc-discharge methods were used to produce stable nanotubule structures identified by high-resolution transmission-electron microscopy. Local electron-energyloss spectroscopy of K-edge absorptions for B, C, and N atoms was used to determine the atomic compositions of individual tubules. Tubes of stoichiometry BC2N and BC3 have been observed, in agreement with theoretical predictions.

[1] At the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Reservation, colloid-facilitated transport is a potential mechanism for accelerated movement of radionuclides like Cs-137. Here we investigate the transport of colloids through Hanford sediments under steady state, unsaturated flow conditions. We isolated colloids from Hanford sediments by dispersion and sedimentation and determined colloid breakthrough curves in packed sediment columns. A column system was developed with which we could control volumetric water contents with accuracy better than 0.01 effective saturation and the water potentials to better than 0.06 cm-H 2 O. Inflow and outflow boundary conditions had to be meticulously controlled to ensure uniformity of water contents and water potentials inside the column. Colloid breakthrough curves were determined under a series of water contents ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 effective saturation. Colloids were mobile under all water saturations, but the total amount of colloids transported decreased with decreasing water saturation. Colloid behavior was described with the mobile-immobile model concept, including firstorder deposition from the mobile phase only.