Low Temperature Growth of Boron Nitride Nanotubes on Substrates

Abstract

High growth temperatures (>1100 degrees C), low production yield, and impurities have prevented research progress and applications of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) in the past 10 years. Here, we show that BNNTs can be grown on substrates at 600 degrees C. These BNNTs are constructed of high-order tubular structures and can be used without purification. Tunneling spectroscopy indicates that their band gap ranges from 4.4 to 4.9 eV.