# US 2017/0253485 A2 · Boron nitride nanotubes and process for production thereof

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- Number: US 2017/0253485 A2
- Document ID: US20170253485A2
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A2
- Application number: 14/409,128
- Filed: 2014-04-04
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2013-04-18
- Assignees: National Research Council of Canada
- Applicants: National Research Council of Canada
- Inventors: Keun Su Kim; Christopher T Kingston; Benoit Simard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170253485A2

## CPC

- C01B 21/064: with boron
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- C01B 21/0641: {Preparation by direct nitridation of elemental boron}
- G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- H04L 41/0813: characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
- H04L 41/22: comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- C01P 2002/88: by thermal analysis data, e.g. TGA, DTA, DSC
- C01P 2004/03: obtained by SEM
- C01P 2004/04: obtained by TEM, STEM, STM or AFM
- C01P 2004/13: Nanotubes
- H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)}
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) involves providing a one or more sources of boron, nitrogen and hydrogen to a stable induction plasma to form a reaction mixture of boron, nitrogen and hydrogen in the plasma, and cooling the reaction mixture to form BNNTs. The process is capable of very efficiently producing small (10 nm or less diameter), reasonably pure BNNTs continuously in high yield at or around atmospheric pressure without the need to use metals as the catalyst. The process may be further modified by providing one or more sources of carbon to produce BNNTs doped with carbon (e.g. BCNNT).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) comprising providing one or more sources of boron, nitrogen and hydrogen to a stable induction plasma to form a reaction mixture of boron, nitrogen and hydrogen in the plasma, and cooling the reaction mixture to form BNNTs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sources of boron comprises elemental boron, boron nitride, boron oxide, boric acid, metal borides, ammonia borane, a derivative of ammonia borane, borazine, a derivative of borazine, borane or any mixture thereof, and wherein the one or more sources of nitrogen comprises boron nitride, N2, NH3, NH4OH, borazine or any mixture thereof, and wherein the one or more sources of hydrogen comprises H2, NH3, NH4OH, a borane or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sources of boron comprises hexagonal boron nitride, the one or more sources of nitrogen comprises a mixture of hexagonal boron nitride and N2 and the one or more sources of hydrogen comprises H2.

### Claim 4

(canceled)

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sources of boron is free of metal.

### Claim 6

(canceled)

### Claim 7

(canceled)

### Claim 8

(canceled)

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sources of nitrogen is a gas and at least one of the sources of hydrogen is a gas and the gases are provided to the stable induction plasma in a sheath gas.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process according to claim 10, wherein the sheath gas further comprises an inert gas.

### Claim 12

(canceled)

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one source of hydrogen is present in the sheath gas in an amount of 5-20%.

### Claim 15

(canceled)

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one source of nitrogen is present in the sheath gas in an amount of 35-65%.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is under a pressure of less than 2 atm in the stable induction plasma.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the pressure is greater than 0.6 atm.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the pressure is greater than 0.95 atm.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the pressure is in a range of 0.9 atm to 1.9 atm.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the pressure is in a range of 0.95 atm to 1.9 atm.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The process according to claim 17, wherein the pressure is in a range of 0.9 atm to 1 atm.

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture is further provided with a metal catalyst.

### Claim 26

(canceled)

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture further comprises a source of carbon and the BNNTs produced are doped with carbon.

### Claim 28

(canceled)

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the stable induction plasma has a temperature in a range of 7,000-9,000K at a core of the plasma.

### Claim 30

(canceled)

### Claim 31

(canceled)

### Claim 32

(canceled)

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, further comprising collecting the BNNTs by filtration in a filtration zone downstream of the reaction zone.

### Claim 34

(canceled)

### Claim 35

(canceled)

### Claim 36

A composition comprising a plurality of metal-free boron nitride nanotubes having an average diameter of 10 nm or less.

### Claim 37

A free-standing transparent film comprising boron nitride nanotubes having an average diameter of 10 nm or less.

### Claim 38

(canceled)