Exfoliated Hexagonal Boron Nitride

materials and coatings
Exfoliated Hexagonal Boron Nitride (LAR-TOPS-131)
Novel method for exfoliated hexagonal Boron Nitride that is soluble
Overview
NASA Langley Research Center has developed a method for exfoliating commercially available hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) into nanosheets a few atomic layers thick. Currently hBN has limited use because it is insoluble with limited dispersibility, despite hBN having excellent thermal conductivity and electrical insulation. Langleys novel method provides for exfoliated hBN nanosheets that are soluble or suspendable in a variety of solvents, allowing for their bulk preparation and incorporation into composites, coatings, and films.

The Technology
The invented method involves mechanical breakdown of large hBN particles followed by chemical functionalization to achieve exfoliation of the hBN sheets. The exfoliated h- nanosheets are of mono- or few atomic layers thick, and dispersible (or suspendable, soluble) in common organic solvents and/or water, depending upon the nature of the functionalities. The functionalities can be subsequently removed by thermal treatment, with the hBN nanostructures remaining intact and exfoliated.
hBN Dispersions 
Functionalized hBN Sheet
Benefits
  • First method to produce solution-processible exfoliated hBN nanostructures in bulk quantities
  • Exfoliated hBN is thermally conductive and electrically insulating
  • Simple, cost efficient, and scalable method using commercially available hBN

Applications
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics
  • Advanced composites
  • Biomedical
Technology Details

materials and coatings
LAR-TOPS-131
LAR-17748-1
8,303,922
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