Synthesis and characterization of boron nitrides nanotubes

This paper presents a new synthesis for the production of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) from boron powder, ammonium nitrate and hematite tube furnace CVD method. The samples were subjected to some characterization techniques as infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and transmission. By analyzing the results can explain the chemical reactions involved in the process and confirm the formation of BNNT with several layers and about 30 nanometers in diameter. Due to excellent mechanical properties and its chemical and thermal stability this material is promising for various applications. However, BNNT has received much less attention than carbon nanotubes, it is because of great difficulty to synthesize appreciable quantities from the techniques currently known, and this is one of the main reasons this work.(author)