Synthesis of boron nitride nanorod and its performance as a metalfree catalyst for oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuel

In order to reduce the sulfur compounds in diesel fuel,boron nitride(BN)has been used as a novel metal-free catalyst in the present research.This nanocatalyst was synthesized via template-free approach followed by heating treatment at 900℃ in nitrogen atmosphere that the characteristics of the sample were identified by the X-ray diffraction,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,Raman spectroscopy,field emission scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,atomic force microscopy,and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms.The results of structural and morphological analysis represented that BN has been successfully synthesized.The efficacy of the main operating parameters on the process was studied by using response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design method.The prepared catalyst showed high efficiency in oxidative desulfurization of diesel fuel with initial sulfur content of 8040 mg·kg^(-1)S.From statistical analysis,a significant quadratic model was obtained to predict the sulfur removal as a function of efficient parameters.The maximum efficiency of 72.4%was achieved under optimized conditions at oxidant/sulfur molar ratio of 10.2,temperature of 71℃,reaction time of 113 min,and catalyst dosage of 0.36 g.Also,the reusability of the BN was studied,and the result showed little reduction in activity of the catalyst after 10 times regeneration.Moreover,a plausible mechanism was proposed for oxidation of sulfur compounds on the surface of the catalyst.The present study shows that BN materials can be selected as promising metal-free catalysts for desulfurization process.

Coaxial Wet Spinning of Boron Nitride Nanosheet‑Based Composite Fibers with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Strength

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets(BNNSs)exhibit remarkable thermal and dielectric properties.However,their self-assembly and alignment in macroscopic forms remain challenging due to the chemical inertness of boron nitride,thereby limiting their performance in applications such as thermal management.In this study,we present a coaxial wet spinning approach for the fabrication of BNNSs/polymer composite fibers with high nanosheet orientation.The composite fibers were prepared using a superacid-based solvent system and showed a layered structure comprising an aramid core and an aramid/BNNSs sheath.Notably,the coaxial fibers exhibited significantly higher BNNSs alignment compared to uniaxial aramid/BNNSs fibers,primarily due to the additional compressive forces exerted at the core-sheath interface during the hot drawing process.With a BNNSs loading of 60 wt%,the resulting coaxial fibers showed exceptional properties,including an ultrahigh Herman orientation parameter of 0.81,thermal conductivity of 17.2 W m^(-1)K^(-1),and tensile strength of 192.5 MPa.These results surpassed those of uniaxial fibers and previously reported BNNSs composite fibers,making them highly suitable for applications such as wearable thermal management textiles.Our findings present a promising strategy for fabricating high-performance composite fibers based on BNNSs.

Flexible and Robust Functionalized Boron Nitride/Poly(p‑Phenylene Benzobisoxazole)Nanocomposite Paper with High Thermal Conductivity and Outstanding Electrical Insulation

With the rapid development of 5G information technology,thermal conductivity/dissipation problems of highly integrated electronic devices and electrical equipment are becoming prominent.In this work,“high-temperature solid-phase&diazonium salt decomposition”method is carried out to prepare benzidine-functionalized boron nitride(m-BN).Subsequently,m-BN/poly(pphenylene benzobisoxazole)nanofiber(PNF)nanocomposite paper with nacremimetic layered structures is prepared via sol–gel film transformation approach.The obtained m-BN/PNF nanocomposite paper with 50 wt%m-BN presents excellent thermal conductivity,incredible electrical insulation,outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability,due to the construction of extensive hydrogen bonds andπ–πinteractions between m-BN and PNF,and stable nacre-mimetic layered structures.Itsλ∥andλ_(⊥)are 9.68 and 0.84 W m^(-1)K^(-1),and the volume resistivity and breakdown strength are as high as 2.3×10^(15)Ωcm and 324.2 kV mm^(-1),respectively.Besides,it also presents extremely high tensile strength of 193.6 MPa and thermal decomposition temperature of 640°C,showing a broad application prospect in high-end thermal management fields such as electronic devices and electrical equipment.

Self-Modifying Nanointerface Driving Ultrahigh Bidirectional Thermal Conductivity Boron Nitride-Based Composite Flexible Films

While boron nitride(BN) is widely recognized as the most promising thermally conductive filler for rapidly developing high-power electronic devices due to its excellent thermal conductivity and dielectric properties,a great challenge is the poor vertical thermal conductivity when embedded in composites owing to the poor interracial interaction causing severe phonon scattering.Here,we report a novel surface modification strategy called the "self-modified nanointerface" using BN nanocrystals(BNNCs) to efficiently link the interface between BN and the polymer matrix.Combining with ice-press assembly method,an only 25 wt% BNembedded composite film can not only possess an in-plane thermal conductivity of 20.3 W m-1K-1but also,more importantly,achieve a through-plane thermal conductivity as high as 21.3 W m-1K-1,which is more than twice the reported maximum due to the ideal phonon spectrum matching between BNNCs and BN fillers,the strong interaction between the self-modified fillers and polymer matrix,as well as ladder-structured BN skeleton.The excellent thermal conductivity has been verified by theoretical calculations and the heat dissipation of a CPU.This study provides an innovative design principle to tailor composite interfaces and opens up a new path to develop high-performance composites.

Porous heterostructure of graphene/hexagonal boron nitride as an efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen peroxide generation

Compared with the traditional heteroatom doping,employing heterostructure is a new modulating approach for carbon-based electrocatalysts.Herein,a facile ball milling-assisted route is proposed to synthesize porous carbon materials composed of abundant graphene/hexagonal boron nitride(G/h-BN)heterostructures.Metal Ni powder and nanoscale h-BN sheets are used as a catalytic substrate/hard template and“nucleation seed”for the formation of the heterostructure,respectively.As-prepared G/h-BN heterostructures exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward H_(2)O_(2) generation with 86%-95%selectivity at the range of 0.45-0.75 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and a positive onset potential of 0.79 versus RHE(defined at a ring current density of 0.3 mA cm^(-2))in the alkaline solution.In a flow cell,G/h-BN heterostructured electrocatalyst has a H_(2)O_(2) production rate of up to 762 mmol g_(catalyst)^(-1) h^(-1) and Faradaic efficiency of over 75%during 12 h testing,superior to the reported carbon-based electrocatalysts.The density functional theory simulation suggests that the B atoms at the interface of the G/h-BN heterostructure are the key active sites.This research provides a new route to activate carbon catalysts toward highly active and selective O_(2)-to-H_(2)O_(2) conversion.

Significant strengthening of copper-based composites using boron nitride nanotubes

Nanotubes, such as boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exhibit excellent mechanical properties. In this work, high-quality BNNTs were synthesized by ball milling and annealing. Subsequently, well-dispersed 3vol%BNNTs/Cu and 3vol%CNTs/Cu composites were successfully prepared using ball milling, spark plasma sintering, and followed by hot-rolling. Moreover, the mechanical properties and strengthening mechanisms of BNNTs/Cu and CNTs/Cu composites were compared and discussed in details. At 293 K,both BNNTs/Cu and CNTs/Cu composites exhibited similar ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of~404 MPa, which is approximately 170%higher than pure Cu. However, at 873 K, the UTS and yield strength of BNNTs/Cu are 27%and 29%higher than those of CNTs/Cu, respectively.This difference can be attributed to the stronger inter-walls shear resistance, higher thermomechanical stability of BNNTs, and stronger bonding at the BNNTs/Cu interface as compared to the CNTs/Cu interface. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of BNNTs as an excellent reinforcement for metal matrix composites, particularly at high temperature.

A mini review on oxidative dehydrogenation of propane over boron nitride catalysts

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is an attractive route for the synthesis of propylene due to its favorable thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics, however, it is challenging to realize high selectivity towards propylene. Recently, it has been discovered that boron nitride (BN) is a promising catalyst that affords superior selectivity towards propylene in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. Summarizing the progress and unravelling the reaction mechanism of BN in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane are of great significance for the rational design of efficient catalysts in the future. Herein, in this review, the underlying reaction mechanisms of oxidative dehydrogenation of propane over BN are extracted;the developed BN catalysts are classified into pristine BN, functionalized BN, supported BN and others, and the applications of each category of BN catalysts in oxidative dehydrogenation of propane are summarized;the challenges and opportunities on oxidative dehydrogenation of propane over BN are pointed out, aiming to inspire more studies and advance this research field.

The establishment of Boron nitride@sodium alginate foam/polyethyleneglycol composite phase change materials with high thermal conductivity, shape stability, and reusability

Adopting organic phase change materials(PCMs) for the management of electronic devices is restricted by low thermal conductivity. In this paper, the composite PCMs are established by freeze-drying and vacuum impregnation. Herein, polyethylene glycol(PEG) is induced as heat storage materials, boron nitride(BN) is embedded as filler stacking in an orderly fashion on the foam walls to improve thermal conductivity and sodium alginate(SA) is formed as supporting material to keep the shape of the composite stable. X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer, thermal gravimetric analysis, thermal conductivity meter, differential scanning calorimeter, and Fourier transform infrared were used to characterize the samples and thermal cycles were employed to measure the shape stability. The results exhibit the BN@SA/PEG composite PCMs have good chemical compatibility, stable morphology, and thermal stability. Due to the high porosity of foam, PEG endows the composite PCMs with high latent heat(149.11 and 141.59 J·g^(-1)). Simultaneously, BN@SA/PEG shows an excellent heat performance with high thermal conductivity(0.99 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)), reusability, and shape stability, contributing the composite PCMs to application in the energy storage field. This study provides a strategy to manufacture flexible, long-serving, and shape-stable PCMs via introducing BN@SA foam as a storage framework, and these PCMs have great potential in thermal management in the electronic field.

High-Throughput Growth of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Film Using Porous-Structure Isolation Layer

Chemical vapor deposition is considered as the most hopeful method for the synthesis of large-area high-quality hexagonal boron nitride on the substrate of catalytic metal. However, the size the hexagonal boron nitride films are limited to the size of growth chamber, which indicates a lower production efficiency. In this paper, the utilization efficiency of growth chamber is highly improved by alternately stacking multiple pieces of Cu foils and carbon fiber surface felt with porous structure. Uniform and continuous hexagonal boron nitride films are prepared on Cu foils through chemical vapor deposition utilizing ammonia borane as the precursor. This work develops a simple and practicable method for high-throughput preparation of hexagonal boron nitride films, which could contribute to the industrial application of hexagonal boron nitride. .

Reaction between Ti and boron nitride based investment shell molds used for casting titanium alloys

The aim of this paper was to study the reaction between a Ti-6Al-4V alloy and boron nitride based investment shell molds used for investment casting titanium. In BN based investment shell molds, the face coatings are made of pretreated hexagonal boron nitride （hBN） with a few yttria （Y2O3） and colloidal yttria as binder. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy was melted in a controlled atmosphere induction furnace with a segment water-cooled copper crucible. The cross-section of reaction interface between Ti alloys and shell mold was investigated by electron probe micro-analyzer （EPMA） and microhardness tester. The results show that the reaction is not serious, the thickness of the reacting layer is about 30-50 μm, and the thickness of α-case is about 180-200 pro. Moreover the α-case formation mechanism was also discussed.

Hexagonal boron nitride adsorbent: Synthesis, performance tailoring and applications

Hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN),with unique structural and properties,has shown enormous potentitoward variety of possible applications.By virtue of partially-ionic character of BN chemical bonds anusually large specific surface area,h-BN-related nanostructures exhibit appealing adsorption propertiewhich can be widely applied for separation and purification towards energy and environment treatmenIn this review,recent progress in designing h-BN micro,nano-structure,controlled synthesis,performancoptimizing as well as energy and environment-related adsorption applications are summarized.Strategieto tailor the h-BN can be classified as morphology control,element doping,defect control and surfacmodification,focusing on how to optimize the adsorption performance.In order to insight the intrinsimechanism of tuning strategies for property optimization,the significant adsorption applications of h-Btowards hydrogen storage,CO2 capture,pollutants removal from water and adsorption desulfurization arpresented.

Hexagonal boron nitride:A metal-free catalyst for deep oxidative desulfurization of fuel oils

Oxidative desulfurization(ODS)has been proved to be an efficient strategy for the production of clean fuel oil.Numerous metal-based materials have been employed as excellent ODS catalysts,but being hindered by their high-cost and potential secondary pollution.In this work,we employed graphene analogous hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)as a metal-free catalyst for ODS with hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)as the oxidant.The h-BN catalyst was characterized and proved to be a few-layered structure with relatively high specific surface areas.The h-BN catalyst showed a 99.4%of sulfur removal in fuel oil under the optimized reaction conditions.Besides,the h-BN can be recycled for 8 times without significant decrease in the catalytic performance.Detailed mechanism analysis found that it is the boron radicals in h-BN activated H2O2 to generate·OH species,which can readily oxidize sulfides to corresponding sulfones for separation.This work would provide another choice in choosing metal-free catalysts for ODS.

The electrical properties of sulfur-implanted cubic boron nitride thin films

Cubic boron nitride （c-BN） thin films are deposited on p-type Si wafers using radio frequency （RF） sputtering and then doped by implanting S ions. Wile implantation energy of the ions is 19 keV, and the implantation dose is between 1015 ions/cm2 and 1016 ions/cm2. The doped c-BN thin films are then annealed at a temperature between 400℃ and 800℃. The results show that the surface resistivity of doped and annealed c-BN thin films is lowered by two to three orders, and the activation energy of c-BN thin films is 0.18 eV.

Vibration of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride

The dynamic behavior of two-dimensional nanostructures is important to the future application of nano devices. The vibrational behaviors of single-layered hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN) are studied by molecular dynamics simulation and continuum plate model. The bending stiffness and Poisson’s ratios of h-BN along zigzag direction and armchair direction are calculated. H-BN is softer compared with graphene. The continuum plate model can predict the vibration of h-BN with four edge-clamped boundary conditions well. The electric fields in different directions have obvious influence on the vibration of h-BN. The natural frequency of h-BN changes linearly with the electric field intensity along the polarization direction. The natural frequency of h-BN decreases with the increase of electric field intensity along both positive and negative nonpolarization direction. While the natural frequency of h-BN increases with the increase of electric field intensity along both positive and negative transverse electric field.

Deposition of hexagonal boron nitride thin films on silver nanoparticle substrates and surface enhanced infrared absorption

Silver nanoparticle thin films with different average particle diameters are grown on silicon substrates. Boron nitride thin films are then deposited on the silver nanoparticle interlayers by radio frequency （RF） magnetron sputtering. The boron nitride thin films are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra. The average particle diameters of silver nanoparticle thin films are 126.6, 78.4, and 178.8 nm. The results show that the sizes of the silver nanoparticles have effects on the intensities of infrared spectra of boron nitride thin films. An enhanced infrared absorption is detected for boron nitride thin film grown on silver nanoparticle thin film. This result is helpful to study the growth mechanism of boron nitride thin film.

Calcium-Doped Boron Nitride Aerogel Enables Infrared Stealth at High Temperature Up to 1300℃

Boron nitride(BN)aerogels,composed of nanoscale BN building units together with plenty of air in between these nanoscale building units,are ultralight ceramic materials with excellent thermal/electrical insulation,great chemical stability and high-temperature oxidation resistance,which offer considerable advantages for various applications under extreme conditions.However,previous BN aerogels cannot resist high temperature above 900℃ in air atmosphere,and hightemperature oxidation resistance enhancement for BN aerogels is still a great challenge.Herein,a calcium-doped BN(Ca-BN)aerogel with enhanced high-temperature stability(up to~1300℃ in air)was synthesized by introducing Ca atoms into crystal structure of BN building blocks via high-temperature reaction between calcium phosphate and melamine diborate architecture.Such Ca-BN aerogels could resist the burning of butane flame(~1300℃)and keep their megashape and microstructure very well.Furthermore,Ca-BN aerogel serves as thermal insulation layer,together with Al foil serving as both low-infrared-emission layer and high-infrared-reflection layer,forming a combination structure that can effectively hide high-temperature target(heated by butane flame).Such successful chemical doping of metal element into crystal structure of BN may be helpful in the future design and fabrication of advanced BN aerogel materials,and further extending their possible applications to extremely high-temperature environments.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Zn2SnO4/Few-Layer Boron Nitride Nanosheets Hybrids as a Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalyst

Zn2SnO4/few-layer boron nitride nanosheets (FBNNS) hybrids were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method. The structures, morphology, optical properties, electron transformation and separation of the as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electrical microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. Rhodamine B was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared samples under visible light illumination. The photocatalytic mechanism was also explored. Experimental results showed that the degradation efficiency of rhodamine B was firstly increased and then decreased with increasing the usage amount of FBNNS. When it was 9 wt% based on the weight of Zn2SnO4, the degradation efficiency of the as-prepared Zn2SnO4/FBNNS-9 wt% composites reached to the maximum of 97.5 % in 180 min, which was higher than 39.2 % of pure Zn2SnO4. Moreover, the holes played mainly active roles in photocatalytic reaction process. In addition, the as-prepared hybrids could enhance the separation efficiency of photoexcited carriers compared to pure Zn2SnO4.

Growth of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Having Large Surface Area Using Mechanothermal Process

Nanostructures of boron nitride (BN) including nanotubes, nanofibers and nanosheets having a large surface area are very useful in storing hydrogen and other gases. In the present paper we report the synthesis and characterization of these nanostructures of BN using mechanothermal process. Under this process elemental boron powder is first ball milled to about 50 h in an inert atmosphere and then annealed at 1100℃ - 1250℃ for 6 h in the presence of NH3 gas. By this treatment nanotubes and other nanostructures of BN were synthesized. The diameter of BN nanotubes varied from 20 to 50 nm and most of them exhibited spindle or bamboo like morphology. Because of the large surface area, these nanotubes may be explored for a better hydrogen gas storage device as compared to the crystallized nanotubes. The main advantage of this technique is that the nanotubes can be grown in large quantity. A possible growth mechanism towards the evolution of such fascinating nano-objects of boron nitride has been discussed employing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence.

Two-dimensional Boron Nitride for Electronics and Energy Applications

Two-dimensional(2D)boron nitride(BN),the so-called“white graphene,”has demonstrated a great potential in various fields,particularly in electronics and energy,by utilizing its wide bandgap(~5.5 eV),superior thermal stability,high thermal conductance,chemical inertness,and outstanding dielectric properties.However,to further optimize the performances from the view of structure-property relationship,the determinative factors such as crystallite sizes,layer thickness,dispersibility,and surface functionalities should be precisely controlled and adjusted.Therefore,in this review,the synthesis and functionalization methods including“top-down”and“bottom-up”strategies,and non-covalent and covalent modifications for 2D BN are systematically classified and discussed at first,thus catering for the requirements of versatile applications.Then,the progresses of 2D BN applied in the fields of microelectronics such as fieldeffect transistors and dielectric capacitors,energy domains such as thermal energy management and conversion,and batteries and supercapacitors are summarized to highlight the importance of 2D BN.Notably,these contents not only contain the state-of-the-art 2D BN composites,but also bring the current novel design of 2D BN-based microelectronic units.Finally,the challenges and perspectives are proposed to better broaden the scope of this material.Therefore,this review will pave an all-around way for understanding,utilizing,and applying 2D BN in future electronics and energy applications.