Enhanced dispersion of boron nitride nanosheets in aqueous media by using bile acid-based surfactants

Facile noncovalent surface functionalization of hydroxylated boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS-OH) was attempted through the sonication-assisted exfoliation of h-BN in aqueous media in the presence of bile acid-based surfactants such as sodium cholic acid (SC) or sodium deoxycholic acid (SDC), resulting in SC-or SDC-BNNS-OH dispersion with high up to 2mgml(-1) and enhanced dispersion stability due to the increased negative zeta potential. While prepared SC-BNNS-OH revealed multilayered BNNS structures, the large lateral sizes of hundreds nanometers and clear h-BN lattice structures are very promising for the preparation and application of water-processable BNNS-based nanomaterials. It is regarded that noncovalent functionalization of BNNS-OH based on sigma-pi interaction between with sigma-rich bile acid-based amphiphiles and pi-rich BNNS is very effective to formulate multi-functional BNNS-based nanomaterials or hybrids that can be utilized in various applications where both the pristine properties of BNNS and the extra functions are simultaneously required.