Synthesis of highly crystalline sp2-bonded boron nitride aerogels.

sp(2)-Bonded boron nitride aerogels are synthesized from graphene aerogels via carbothermal reduction of boron oxide and simultaneous nitridation. The color and chemical composition of the original gel change dramatically, while structural features down to the nanometer scale are maintained, suggesting a direct conversion of the carbon lattice to boron nitride. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies reveal a foliated architecture of wrinkled sheets, a unique morphology among low-density, porous BN materials.

Longitudinal splitting of boron nitride nanotubes for the facile synthesis of high quality boron nitride nanoribbons.

Boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNRs), the boron nitride structural equivalent of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), are predicted to possess unique electronic and magnetic properties. We report the synthesis of BNNRs through the potassium-intercalation-induced longitudinal splitting of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). This facile, scalable synthesis results in narrow (down to 20 nm), few sheet (typically 2-10), high crystallinity BNNRs with very uniform widths.

Boron nitride nanotubes are noncytotoxic and can be functionalized for interaction with proteins and cells.

We report the discovery that boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), isosteres of CNTs with unique physical properties, are inherently noncytotoxic. Furthermore, we developed a biomemetic coating strategy to interface BNNTs with proteins and cells. Finally, we showed that BNNTs can deliver DNA oligomers to the interior of cells with no apparent toxicity.