Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Single-Wall Boron Nitride Nanotubes via Laser Ablation

Abstract

Boron nitride nanotubes (BN-NTs) were synthesized in “mass” quantities (∼0.6 g/h) using a continuous CO2 laser ablation reactor described in the literature [1]. High-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses have shown the nanotubes to be organized in “ropes” comprising ∼10 tubes. Analysis of HRTEM images indicate that the majority of the tubes are zig-zag. The chemical composition of the tubes was confirmed using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, which also determined that nanoparticles terminating tube ends were composed of pure boron covered by BN fullerene-like “cages”. The growth mechanism of the nanotubes seems to be “root-based” with tubes growing from boron nanoparticles dispersed throughout the samples; the non-particle-terminated ends of the tubes exhibit flat “caps” characteristic of BN-NTs [2].

Ab initiomany-body calculations on infinite carbon and boron-nitrogen chains

“…BN analogs of fullerene-like cages and nanotubes have been studied theoretically by several authors. 36,37,39 Experimentally, the BN nanotubes were first synthesized by Chopra et al, 38 while recently, multiwall BN nanotubes, as well as fullerene-like BN cages, have been synthesized by Lee et al, 40 in a catalyst-free manner, using the laser-ablation technique. Additionally, Côté et al 41 calculated the optical properties of the BN analogs of photoluminescent conjugated polymers poly(para-phenylene) (PPP) and poly(para-phenylenevinylene) (PPV).…”

Ab initiomany-body calculations of static dipole polarizabilities of linear carbon chains and chainlike boron clusters

“…12 In composite materials, for small content, boron tends to form a linear chain, while as its content increases it can form structures ranging from twoto three-dimensional. 12 As far as isolated clusters containing boron are concerned, experimentally, they have been studied by Anderson and coworkers, 13 and by La Placa et al 14 In addition, Chopra et al 15 and Lee et al 16 have experimentally synthesized the boron-nitrogen nanotubes and cage-like boron-nitrogen structures. Several authors have also reported theoretical calculations on the boron clusters.…”