Methods of Preparing Alkali Metal-intercalated hBN Materials, Resultant Products and Uses Thereof
ID# 2021-5351
Technology Summary
The invention covers a large-scale synthesis of alkali metal-intercalated hBN materials from heating and mixing a molten alkali metal with hBN powders. The method enables the efficient characterization of the materials’ physical and chemical properties. The method also allows for the production of exfoliated 2-D hBN in solution. The invention further enables the production of 2-D hBN-supported metal and metal oxide nanoparticles having high specific surface area, excellent mechanical properties, and high thermal and electrical conductivities. The nanoparticles can be grafted onto hBN sheets.
Application & Market Utility
A simple and large-scale preparation of alkali metal-intercalated hBN, and the dissolution and/or exfoliation of alkali metal-intercalated hBN had not been demonstrated before. The dispersion of exfoliated negatively charged 2-D hBN will enable the use of a variety of solution-phase functionalization, processing and deposition techniques. These alkali metal-intercalated hBN material have a variety of applications including as a semiconducting material, an electrical material, a superconducting material, a magnetic material as a reducing agent for liquid phase chemical reactions and as a precursor for fully exfoliated 2-D hBN dispersions in solution.
Next Steps
The inventors have disclosed additional patentable inventions enabled by this invention.