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Related Experiment Videos

Double-helix structure in multiwall boron nitride nanotubes.

Ayten Celik-Aktas1, Jian Min Zuo, James F Stubbins

  • 1Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.

Acta Crystallographica. Section A, Foundations of Crystallography
|October 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Researchers discovered a novel double-helix structure in multiwall boron nitride nanotubes (MW-BNNTs). This unique structure, observed using advanced microscopy, deviates from ideal cylindrical forms and is linked to boron nitride

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

  • Multiwall boron nitride nanotubes (MW-BNNTs) are typically modeled as nested coaxial cylinders.
  • Understanding the precise atomic structure of MW-BNNTs is crucial for their application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a newly observed structural form in MW-BNNTs.
  • To characterize the double-helix structure and its formation mechanism.

Main Methods:

  • Carbon-free chemical vapor deposition for MW-BNNT synthesis.
  • Transmission electron diffraction and microscopy for structural analysis.
  • Bright-field and dark-field electron imaging.

Main Results:

  • A novel double-helix structure was identified in MW-BNNTs with consistent chirality across walls.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Zigzag patterns on nanotube walls and additional diffraction spots (201 zone axes) were observed, deviating from ideal cylindrical models.
  • Experimental evidence supports a model of two helices: one polygonal and crystalline, the other circular and less ordered.

    • Conclusions:

    • The observed double-helix structure in MW-BNNTs challenges the conventional coaxial cylinder model.
    • The unique structure is attributed to stronger inter-wall interactions due to ionic bonding in boron nitride.
    • This finding opens new avenues for understanding and engineering boron nitride nanostructures.