Single-source precursor for chemical vapour deposition of collapsed boron nitride nanotubes

Ammonium tetrafluoroborate, a cheap and commonly used chemical, was successfully utilized in this study to synthesize BN-coated MgF2 nanowires and collapsed BN nanotubes, although previous investigations have indicated that the compound cannot be used as a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) reaction precursor of amorphous or crystalline BN. Our study reveals that when MgCl2 is used as a promoter a crystalline BN phase can be obtained on a large scale. The MgCl2 also controls the product morphology, resulting in collapsed BN-coated MgF2 nanowires at the first stage of CVD. The detailed morphology of the composite nanowires also depends on the reaction temperature. Increase in temperature stimulates the nanowire formation. The MgF2 inclusions can be fully removed via a simple high-temperature evaporation procedure, forming collapsed BN nanotubes of high purity and yield