| المؤلفون: |
Kleinerman O; Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI) , Haifa 3200003, Israel., Adnan M; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States., Marincel DM; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States., Ma AWK; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States., Bengio EA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI) , Haifa 3200003, Israel.; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States., Park C; Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center , Hampton, Virginia 23681, United States., Chu SH; National Institute of Aerospace , 100 Exploration Way, Hampton, Virginia 23666, United States., Pasquali M; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, The Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States., Talmon Y; Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI) , Haifa 3200003, Israel. |
| مستخلص: |
Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are of interest for their unique combination of high tensile strength, high electrical resistivity, high neutron cross section, and low reactivity. The fastest route to employing these properties in composites and macroscopic articles is through solution processing. However, dispersing BNNTs without functionalization or use of a surfactant is challenging. We show here by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy that BNNTs spontaneously dissolve in chlorosulfonic acid as disentangled individual molecules. Electron energy loss spectroscopy of BNNTs dried from the solution confirms preservation of the sp 2 hybridization for boron and nitrogen, eliminating the possibility of BNNT functionalization or damage. The length and diameter of the BNNTs was statistically calculated to be ∼4.5 μm and ∼4 nm, respectively. Interestingly, bent or otherwise damaged BNNTs are filled by chlorosulfonic acid. Additionally, nanometer-sized synthesis byproducts, including boron nitride clusters, isolated single and multilayer hexagonal boron nitride, and boron particles, were identified. Dissolution in superacid provides a route for solution processing BNNTs without altering their chemical structure. |
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