Highly-efficient disaggregation and exfoliation of boron nitride nanotubes in aqueous solution using high-frequency...

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) exhibit excellent thermal, mechanical, and electronic properties, which make them ideal candidates for use as building blocks for functional macroscopic materials. Although efficient dispersion is required for liquid processing of macroscopic materials, reports of highly individualized and high-concentration BNNT dispersions in aqueous solutions are scarce. Here, we investigate BNNT dispersion parameters in order to improve their dispersibility in water with the common ionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Using spectroscopic methods and microscopy, we verified the level of individualization and mass conversion of the BNNTs in dispersion. These dispersions can be concentrated, displaying liquid-crystalline order.