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Materials and Coatings
Rapid Fabrication of Boron Nitride Fine Fibers
Polymer derived ceramics (PDCs) refers to ceramic materials formed through the pyrolysis of a pre-ceramic polymer. The use of the PDC process enables the fabrication of complex, lightweight, mechanically robust shapes that are too difficult to machine otherwise. The PDC process also allows for granular control over the chemistry, resulting in better fiber homogeneity and allowing for application-specific tailoring. NASA’s PDC process to rapidly fabricate multifunctional h-BN nanofibers entails the following steps. First a liquid-based polymer precursor solution containing boron and nitrogen is made. Next, the precursor undergoes a forcespinning process, which causes the solvent to evaporate, leaving behind only polymeric nanofiber preforms. These preforms are then cured via UV exposure or other means to link the polymer chains to one another. Finally, the crosslinked polymers are heat treated under specific conditions to convert the polymer fibers into ceramics. This NASA innovation offers the ability to make low-cost, layered h-BN fiber mats or weaved fabrics of flexible h-BN from spun yarns at scale. The size of the fibers (> 200 nm) makes them easier to handle and disperse relative to nanotubes or nanosheets and mitigates respiratory hazards. The process offers high yields relative to alternative fabrication processes such as electrospinning. The resulting h-BN nanofibers have a broad range of potential applications and are poised to enable the development of new, multifunctional materials.
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