Abstract: Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) having a second scintillating material, and in some embodiments an enhanced 10B content, may be used for efficient thermal neutron detection. The second scintillating material may be a crystal coating on the nanotubes, and/or crystal dispersed within the BNNT material. Crystal-coated BNNT materials enable detecting thermal neutrons by detecting light from the decay products of the thermal neutron’s absorption on the 10B atoms in the BNNT material, as the resultant decay products pass through the crystal-coating. Embodiments of thermal neutron detectors are described. Methods for preparing BNNTs with a second scintillating material are also described.

Abstract: Thermal interface materials may be enhanced through the dispersion of refined boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into a polymer matrix material and one or more microfillers. A refined BNNT material may be formed by reducing free boron particle content from an as-synthesized BNNT material, and in some embodiments reducing h-BN content. Reducing these species improves the thermal conductivity of the BNNTs. Refined BNNTs may be deagglomerated to reduce the size and mass of BNNTs in agglomerations when the deagglomerated BNNT material is dispersed into a target polymer matrix material. The deagglomerated BNNT material may be lyophilized prior to dispersion in the matrix material, to retain the deagglomeration benefit following return to solid state. The surface of the deagglomerated BNNT material may be modified, with one or more functional groups that improve dispersibility and heat transfer in the target polymer matrix material.

Abstract: Thermal interface materials may be enhanced through the dispersion of refined boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into a polymer matrix material and one or more microfillers. A refined BNNT material may be formed by reducing free boron particle content from an as-synthesized BNNT material, and in some embodiments reducing h-BN content. Reducing these species improves the thermal conductivity of the BNNTs. Refined BNNTs may be deagglomerated to reduce the size and mass of BNNTs in agglomerations when the deagglomerated BNNT material is dispersed into a target polymer matrix material. The deagglomerated BNNT material may be lyophilized prior to dispersion in the matrix material, to retain the deagglomeration benefit following return to solid state. The surface of the deagglomerated BNNT material may be modified, with one or more functional groups that improve dispersibility and heat transfer in the target polymer matrix material.

Abstract: The structural integrity and viscoelastic performance of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) materials may be improved through forming a compressed BNNT buckyweave. The BNNT buckyweave may be formed from a BNNT buckypaper having a bulk nanotube alignment (partial alignment) that may be maintained when forming the BNNT buckyweave, and compression may be parallel to and/or perpendicular to the partial alignment. The BNNT material may be viscoelastically-enhanced through, e.g., selection of synthesized BNNT material, impurity removal/reduction, BNNT alignment, isotopically enhancement, and compression relative to alignment. BNNT buckyweave s are introduced. The present approach provides viscoelastic behavior over temperatures from near absolute zero to near 1900 K. The transport of phonons along the BNNT molecules may be enhanced by utilizing isotopically enhanced BNNTs.

Abstract: High quality Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNTs) may be synthesized by heating a boron melt target via one or more laser diodes, including laser diode stacks. The use of a diode stack and beam shaping optics to irradiate the boron melt eliminates the need for a conventional laser cavity as has been employed with previous embodiments. The diode arrangements facilitate managing power distribution on the born melt(s), nitrogen gas flows, and blackbody radiation that drive the BNNT self-assembly process. These parameters may be used for controlling the proportions and characteristics of boron species, a-BN particles, h-BN nanocages, and h-BN nano sheets in the as-synthesized BNNT material while enhancing the quality of the BNNTs.

Abstract: Thermal interface materials may be enhanced through the dispersion of refined boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into a polymer matrix material and one or more microfillers. A refined BNNT material may be formed by reducing free boron particle content from an as-synthesized BNNT material, and in some embodiments reducing h-BN content. Reducing these species improves the thermal conductivity of the BNNTs. Refined BNNTs may be deagglomerated to reduce the size and mass of BNNTs in agglomerations when the deagglomerated BNNT material is dispersed into a target polymer matrix material. The deagglomerated BNNT material may be lyophilized prior to dispersion in the matrix material, to retain the deagglomeration benefit following return to solid state. The surface of the deagglomerated BNNT material may be modified, with one or more functional groups that improve dispersibility and heat transfer in the target polymer matrix material.

Abstract: Thermal interface materials may be enhanced through the dispersion of refined boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into a polymer matrix material and one or more microfillers. A refined BNNT material may be formed by reducing free boron particle content from an as-synthesized BNNT material, and in some embodiments reducing h-BN content. Reducing these species improves the thermal conductivity of the BNNTs. Refined BNNTs may be deagglomerated to reduce the size and mass of BNNTs in agglomerations when the deagglomerated BNNT material is dispersed into a target polymer matrix material. The deagglomerated BNNT material may be lyophilized prior to dispersion in the matrix material, to retain the deagglomeration benefit following return to solid state. The surface of the deagglomerated BNNT material may be modified, with one or more functional groups that improve dispersibility and heat transfer in the target polymer matrix material.

Abstract: Thermal interface materials may be enhanced through the dispersion of refined boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into a polymer matrix material and one or more microfillers. A refined BNNT material may be formed by reducing free boron particle content from an as-synthesized BNNT material, and in some embodiments reducing h-BN content. Reducing these species improves the thermal conductivity of the BNNTs. Refined BNNTs may be deagglomerated to reduce the size and mass of BNNTs in agglomerations when the deagglomerated BNNT material is dispersed into a target polymer matrix material. The deagglomerated BNNT material may be lyophilized prior to dispersion in the matrix material, to retain the deagglomeration benefit following return to solid state. The surface of the deagglomerated BNNT material may be modified, with one or more functional groups that improve dispersibility and heat transfer in the target polymer matrix material.

Abstract: As disclosed herein, the viscoelastic performance of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) materials may be enhanced and made into useful formats by utilizing purified BNNTs, aligned BNNTs, isotopically enhanced BNNTs, and density controlled BNNT material. Minimizing the amounts of boron particles, a-BN particles, and h-BN nanocages, and optimizing the h-BN nanosheets has the effect of maximizing the amount of BNNT surface area present that may interact with BNNTs themselves and thereby create the nanotube-to-nanotube friction that generates the viscoelastic behavior over temperatures from near absolute zero to near 1900 K. Aligning the BNNT molecular strands with each other within the BNNT material also generates enhanced friction surfaces. The transport of phonons along the BNNT molecules may be further enhanced by utilizing isotopically enhanced BNNTs.

Abstract: As disclosed herein, the viscoelastic performance of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) materials may be enhanced and made into useful formats by utilizing purified BNNTs, aligned BNNTs, isotopically enhanced BNNTs, and density controlled BNNT material. Minimizing the amounts of boron particles, a-BN particles, and h-BN nanocages, and optimizing the h-BN nanosheets has the effect of maximizing the amount of BNNT surface area present that may interact with BNNTs themselves and thereby create the nanotube-to-nanotube friction that generates the viscoelastic behavior over temperatures from near absolute zero to near 1900 K. Aligning the BNNT molecular strands with each other within the BNNT material also generates enhanced friction surfaces. The transport of phonons along the BNNT molecules may be further enhanced by utilizing isotopically enhanced BNNTs.