Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Boron Nitride Nanostructures

非技术描述：富勒烯、碳纳米管和石墨烯等新型碳材料引起了巨大的研究兴趣，并获得了两项诺贝尔奖。氮化硼（BN）材料的结构与碳固体相似，但具有不同的性质。然而，氮化硼纳米结构的合成是非常具有挑战性的。该项目支持通过催化化学气相沉积合成、表征和功能化单壁氮化硼纳米管（SW-BNNTs）和氮化硼纳米带（BNNRs）的努力，这将使具有可调性能的新型电子和光学材料的创造成为可能。该项目为未来的STEM（科学、技术、工程和数学）劳动力提供综合教育和外展活动，包括高中学生和教师、本科生、研究生、博士后研究人员、科学家、工程师和代表性不足的群体。技术细节：本项目支持通过催化化学气相沉积法合成、表征和功能化单壁氮化硼纳米管（SW-BNNTs）和氮化硼纳米带（BNNRs）。这些研究主题具有挑战性，尚未被探索，并将导致具有可调谐电子和光学特性的新型功能BN纳米结构的前沿发现。该项目促进了一系列教育和推广活动，包括：i)纳米科学和技术的未成年人、企业和证书课程；2)博士后、研究生、本科生的科研培训；（三）为高中生（女孩、少数民族、残疾人）及其教师举办纳米技术讲习班；Iv)编写新书和百科全书的章节；（五）组织一系列国际会议；与国家实验室的研究人员合作。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:New carbon materials such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene have attracted tremendous research interests and led to two Nobel Prizes. The structures of boron nitride (BN) materials are similar to those of carbon solids but have intriguing and different properties. However, the synthesis of BN nanostructures is very challenging. This project supports the efforts to synthesize, characterize, and functionalize single wall boron nitride nanotubes (SW-BNNTs) and boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNRs) by catalytic chemical vapor deposition, which will enable the creation of new electronic and optical materials with tunable properties. This project offers integrated education and outreach activities to future STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workforces, includes high school students and teachers, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, scientists, engineers, and underrepresented groups. TECHNICAL DETAILS:This project supports the efforts to synthesize, characterize, and functionalize single wall boron nitride nanotubes (SW-BNNTs) and boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNRs) by catalytic chemical vapor deposition. These research themes are challenging, unexplored, and will lead to cutting edge discoveries on new functional BN nanostructures with tunable electronic and optical properties. This project contributes to a series of education and outreach activities, including, i) minor, enterprise, and certificate programs in nanoscale science and technology; ii) research training to postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students; iii) nanotech workshops for high school students (girls, minorities, persons with disabilities) and their teachers; iv) development of a new book and encyclopedia chapters; v) organization of an international conference series; and vi) collaboration with researchers at national laboratories.