Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets are prepared by a novel and effective method, in which sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide molten salts are used to exfoliate h-BN to obtain nanosheets. BN nanoscrolls are also obtained. The as-prepared products can be readily dispersed in a wide range of solvents, including water and ethanol, and form stable dispersions.

Owning many peculiar properties, hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) have lots of potential applications, such as electronic devices and deep ultraviolet emitters. In this article, a chemical exfoliation method to prepare few-layer and large size BNNSs is reported. Through related instrument characterizations, we demonstrated that this preparation method can allow the exfoliation of BNNSs from bulk BN powder successfully. From CL spectra, the as-prepared BNNSs were proved to show stronger CL emission ability than BN powder. Based on the experiment results analysis, we proposed an exfoliation mechanism and verified it through in situ SEM detection.

A novel, simple, and efficient method for the preparation of the fluorinated hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (F-BNNSs) and the corresponding magnetic properties is presented. A one-step route is used to exfoliate and fluorinate the BNNSs by ammonium fluoride (NH4F) from hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) powder. Through related instrument characterizations and theoretical calculations, we confirm that large-area and few-layer F-BNNSs were successfully produced by this method, which can be attributed to a fluorination-assisted exfoliation mechanism from the bulk h-BN in NH4F. More intriguingly, we initially verified that the as-prepared F-BNNSs exhibit ferromagnetic characteristics, which would have good potential applications in spintronic devices.

Two-dimensional atomically thick materials, reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS ) have been investigated as potential novel energy storage materials because of their distinct physicochemical properties. These materials suffer, however, from rapid capacity decay and low rate capability. This study describes a facile, binder-free approach to fabricate large-scale, 3D network structured MoS @carbon nanotube (CNT)/RGO composites for application in flexible supercapacitor devices. The as-obtained composites possess a hierarchical porosity, and an interconnected framework. The electrochemical supercapacitive measurements of the MoS @CNT/RGO electrode show a high specific capacitance of 129 mF cm at 0.1 mA cm . The symmetric supercapacitor devices based on the as-obtained composites exhibit a long lifetime (94.7 % capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles), and a high electrochemical performance (29.7 mF cm ). The present experimental findings will lead to scalable, binder-free synthesis of MoS @CNT/RGO hybrid electrodes, with enhanced, flexible, supercapacitive performance, in portable and wearable energy storage devices.

Various lead-free (K x Na 1Àx ) 0.98 Li 0.02 (Nb 0.82Ày Ta 0.18 Sb y )O 3 ceramics with x 5 0.50, y 5 0.00-0.07 or x 5 0.40-0.60, y 5 0.05 were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. Systematic investigation on the microstructures, crystalline structures, and dielectric and piezoelectric properties was carried out. Remarkably strong piezoelectricity has been achieved in (K 0.45 Na 0.55 ) 0.98 Li 0.02 (Nb 0.77 Ta 0.18 Sb 0.05 )O 3 ceramic, which shows the excellent piezoelectric properties of d 33 5 413 pC/N, d 31 5 À153 pC/N, k p 5 0.50, and k 33 5 0.62. It is considered that the observed strong piezoelectricity should be ascribed to several combined decisive factors, such as the phase coexistence due to an orthorhombic-tetragonal polymorphic phase transition near room temperature, the high electronegativity of Sb 51 ions as compared with those of Nb 51 ions and Ta 51 ions, and the relatively ideal microstructure with high density, large average grain size and narrow grain-size distribution.