TY - JOUR
T1 - Catalytically-etched hexagonal boron nitride flakes and their surface activity
AU - Kim, Do Hyun
AU - Lee, Minwoo
AU - Ye, Bora
AU - Jang, Ho Kyun
AU - Kim, Gyu Tae
AU - Lee, Dong Jin
AU - Kim, Eok Soo
AU - Kim, Hong Dae
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was financially supported by the project (code number: 10067386) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Knowledge Economy (MOTIE) and by the project (code number: EO170007) of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP). We would like to express our sincere thanks to them for the support.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2017/4/30
Y1 - 2017/4/30
N2 - Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a ceramic compound which is thermally stable up to 1000 °C in air. Due to this, it is a very challenging task to etch h-BN under air atmosphere at low temperature. In this study, we report that h-BN flakes can be easily etched by oxidation at 350 °C under air atmosphere in the presence of transition metal (TM) oxide. After selecting Co, Cu, and Zn elements as TM precursors, we simply oxidized h-BN sheets impregnated with the TM precursors at 350 °C in air. As a result, microscopic analysis revealed that an etched structure was created on the surface of h-BN flakes regardless of catalyst type. And, X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the air oxidation led to the formation of Co 3 O 4 , CuO, and ZnO from each precursor. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a gradual weight loss in the temperature range where the weight of h-BN flakes increased by air oxidation. As a result of etching, pore volume and pore area of h-BN flakes were increased after catalytic oxidation in all cases. In addition, the surface of h-BN flakes became highly active when the h-BN samples were etched by Co 3 O 4 and CuO catalysts. Based on these results, we report that h-BN flakes can be easily oxidized in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in an etched structure in the layered structure.
AB - Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a ceramic compound which is thermally stable up to 1000 °C in air. Due to this, it is a very challenging task to etch h-BN under air atmosphere at low temperature. In this study, we report that h-BN flakes can be easily etched by oxidation at 350 °C under air atmosphere in the presence of transition metal (TM) oxide. After selecting Co, Cu, and Zn elements as TM precursors, we simply oxidized h-BN sheets impregnated with the TM precursors at 350 °C in air. As a result, microscopic analysis revealed that an etched structure was created on the surface of h-BN flakes regardless of catalyst type. And, X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the air oxidation led to the formation of Co 3 O 4 , CuO, and ZnO from each precursor. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a gradual weight loss in the temperature range where the weight of h-BN flakes increased by air oxidation. As a result of etching, pore volume and pore area of h-BN flakes were increased after catalytic oxidation in all cases. In addition, the surface of h-BN flakes became highly active when the h-BN samples were etched by Co 3 O 4 and CuO catalysts. Based on these results, we report that h-BN flakes can be easily oxidized in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in an etched structure in the layered structure.
KW - Catalytic oxidation
KW - Etching
KW - Hexagonal boron nitride
KW - Transition metal oxide
KW - Vacancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009758062&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.01.066
DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.01.066
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85009758062
SN - 0169-4332
VL - 402
SP - 254
EP - 260
JO - Applied Surface Science
JF - Applied Surface Science
ER -