Post-synthesis carbon doping of individual multiwalled boron nitride nanotubes via electron-beam irradiation

J Am Chem Soc. 2010 Oct 6;132(39):13592-3. doi: 10.1021/ja106134s.

Abstract

We report on post-synthesis carbon doping of individual boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) via in situ electron-beam irradiation inside an energy-filtering 300 keV high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The substitution of C for B and N atoms in the honeycomb lattice was demonstrated through electron energy loss spectroscopy, spatially resolved energy-filtered elemental mapping, and in situ electrical measurements. Substitutional C doping transformed BNNTs from electrical insulators to conductors. In comparison with the existing post-synthesis doping methods for nanoscale materials (e.g., ion implantation and diffusion), the discovered electron-beam-induced doping is a well-controlled, little-damaging, room-temperature, and simple strategy that is expected to demonstrate great promise for post-synthesis doping of diverse nanomaterials in the future.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Electrons*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Boron Compounds
  • boron nitride
  • Carbon