title: Functionalization and dispersion of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets treated with inorganic reagents.
abstract: A mixture of bulk hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) with hydrazine, 30% H(2)O(2), HNO(3)/H(2)SO(4), or oleum was heated in an autoclave at 100 °C to produce functionalized h-BN. The product formed stable colloid solutions in water (0.26-0.32 g L(-1)) and N,N-dimethylformamide (0.34-0.52 g L(-1)) upon mild ultrasonication. The yield of "soluble" h-BN reached about 70 wt%. The dispersions contained few-layered h-BN nanosheets with lateral dimensions in the order of several hundred nanometers. The functionalized dispersible h-BN was characterized by IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is shown that h-BN preserves its hexagonal structure throughout the functionalization procedure. Its exfoliation into thin platelets upon contact with solvents is probably owing to the attachment of hydrophilic functionalities.
authors.affiliation: Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3, Acad. Lavrentiev Ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
authors.forename: Albert S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Nazarov
authors.forename: Viktor N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Demin
authors.forename: Ekaterina D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Grayfer
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Bulavchenko
authors.forename: Aida T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Arymbaeva
authors.forename: Hyeon-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jae-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Vladimir E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Fedorov