Recent Advances in Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Nanosheets

Herein the recent experiments performed by the authors on fabricated multi walled BN nanotubes and monoatomic BN graphene like nanosheets are reviewed The re suits are presented in several sections namely (i) method for high yield synthesis of thin, defect free BN nanotubes of only a few layers, with external diameters below 10 nm, (ii) verification of BN nanotube piezoelectrical behavior and its electrically induced thermal decomposition under combined resistive heating and electrical charging in a transmission electron microscope, (iii) the first direct measurements of the true tensile strength and Young's modulus of BN nanotubes, using newly developed nanotensile tests inside an electron microscope, the measured values were found to be similar to 30 GPa and similar to 900 GPa, respectively, and (iv) diverse kinetic processes taking place within the prepared monoatomic BN sheets (so called white graphenes) affiliated with intensive knock on B and N atom displacements under high energy electron beam irradiation in an aberration corrected medium voltage high resolution transmission electron microscope