I-Corps: High Quality Boron Nitride Nanotubes

氮化硼纳米管(BNNTs)在结构上与碳纳米管(CNTs)相似，具有许多相似的性质，如极高的机械强度和导热系数。与碳纳米管不同，BNNTs具有均匀的带隙(~5.5 eV)，对结构变化不敏感。此外，BNNTs在化学上比碳纳米管更惰性，在高温下具有更高的抗氧化性。然而，世界上几乎没有研究小组能够生产出高质量的BNNTs。基于它们生长高质量BNNTs的独特能力，研究人员将研究一种扫描化学气相沉积(SCVD)技术。小型SCVD系统的初步测试表明，BNNTs的产量提高了10倍。随着更大的CVD系统的使用，产量可能会进一步提高1000倍。如果成功完成，该项目可能会进一步推动BNNTs在科学和工程的各个分支中的应用，包括1)用于高性能电子设备和发动机的绝缘散热材料，2)用于纳米电子和光子器件的掺杂BNNTs，3)化学惰性和高性能陶瓷/合金/复合材料，4)用于癌症治疗的硼中子俘获疗法，5)使用BNNTs进行药物输送。

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are structurally similar to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with many similar properties such as extraordinarily high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. Unlike CNTs, BNNTs have a uniform band gap (~5.5 eV) that is not sensitive to structural variations. Furthermore BNNTs are chemically more inert than CNTs, and have a higher resistance to oxidation at high temperatures. However, there are few research groups in the world capable of producing high-quality BNNTs. Based on their unique capability in growing high-quality BNNTs researchers will investigate a scanning chemical vapor deposition (SCVD) technique. Preliminary tests of the small SCVD system have demonstrated a 10-fold higher production yield of BNNTs. The yield could potentially be further improved by 1000-fold with the use of a bigger CVD system. If successfully completed, this project may further the use of BNNTs in various branches of science and engineering, including 1) insulating heat sink materials for high-performance electronic devices and engines, 2) doped BNNTs for nanoelectronic and photonic devices without the need of post-synthesis sorting, 3) chemically inert and high performance ceramics/alloys/composites, 4) boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for cancer treatment, 5) drug delivery using BNNTs.