Boron nitride nanotube intermediaries for nanomaterials

Abstract

The processes and products described herein optimize transformation of BNNT as-synthesized material into BNNT intermediary materials. Process steps include refining to remove boron particulates, high temperature refining to break bonds between BNNT, h-BN nanocages, h-BN nanosheets and amorphous BN particles, centrifuging and microfluidic separation, and electrophoresis. Resultant BNNT intermediary materials include purified BNNT in solution, BNNT gels, h-BN nanocages, and h-BN nanosheets, gel spun BNNT fibers, hydrophilic defect enhanced BNNT materials, BNNT patterned sheets, and BNNT strands. Applications that will utilize these BNNT precursor feedstock materials include making BNNT based aligned components, thin films, aerogels, thermal conductivity enhancements, structural materials, ceramic, metal, and polymer composites, and removal of PFAS pollutants from water.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.