Boron nitride nanotubes: pronounced resistance to oxidation

Abstract

Boron nitride (BN)nanotubes have the same nanostructure as carbon nanotubes but are found to exhibit significant resistance to oxidation at high temperatures. Our systematic study has revealed that BNnanotubes are stable at 700 °C in air and that some thin nanotubes (diameter less than 20 nm) with perfect multiwalled cylindrical structure can survive up to 900 °C.Thermogravimetric analysis reveals an onset temperature for oxidation of BNnanotubes of 800 °C compared with only 400 °C for carbon nanotubes under the same conditions. This more pronounced resistance of BNnanotubes to oxidation is inherited from the hexagonal BN and also depends on the nanocrystallinestructure. This high level of resistance to oxidation allows promising BNnanotube applications at high temperatures.