High-yield preparation of edge-functionalized and water dispersible few-layers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) by direct wet chemical exfoliation

Abstract

Owing to many fascinating properties including high thermal and chemical stability, excellent electrical insulation, fire-retardant and antibacterial properties, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as a prominent 2D material for broad applications. However, the production of high quality of hBN by chemical exfoliation from its precursor is still challenging. This paper presents a high-yield (+83 %), low cost and energy-efficient wet chemical exfoliation strategy, which produces few-layers (FL, 3-6 layers) of edge-functionalized (OH) hBN nanosheets with uniform size (486±51 nm). This optimized preparation is established based on a comprehensive investigation on the key exfoliation parameters such as exfoliation temperature, time and amount of the oxidant (potassium permanganate). High quality of FL-hBN was confirmed by various characterization techniques including SEM-EDX, TEM, Raman, FTIR, XRD and XPS analysis. The outcome of this study paves a promising pathway to effectively produce hBN through a cost-efficient exfoliation approach, which has a significant impact on industrial applications.