Mechanically activated catalyst mixing for high-yield boron nitride nanotube growth

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have many fascinating properties and a wide range of applications. An improved ball milling method has been developed for high-yield BNNT synthesis, in which metal nitrate, such as Fe(NO(3))(3), and amorphous boron powder are milled together to prepare a more effective precursor. The heating of the precursor in nitrogen-containing gas produces a high density of BNNTs with controlled structures. The chemical bonding and structure of the synthesized BNNTs are precisely probed by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The higher efficiency of the precursor containing milling-activated catalyst is revealed by thermogravimetric analyses. Detailed X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations disclose that during ball milling the Fe(NO(3))(3) decomposes to Fe which greatly accelerates the nitriding reaction and therefore increases the yield of BNNTs. This improved synthesis method brings the large-scale production and application of BNNTs one step closer

Studies of the Ammonia Decomposition over a Mixture Of α - Fe(N) And γ' - Fe4n

An industrial pre-reduced iron catalyst for ammonia synthesis was nitrided in a differential reactor equipped with the systems that made it possible to conduct both the thermogravimetric measurements and hydrogen concentration analyser in the reacting gas mixture. The nitriding process, particularly the catalytic ammonia decomposition reaction, was investigated under an atmosphere of ammonia-hydrogen mixtures, under the atmospheric pressure, at 475oC. The nitriding potentials were changed gradually in the range from 19.10-3 to 73.10-3 Pa-0.5 in the reactor for an intermediate area where two phases exist simultanously: Fe(N) and γ’-Fe4. In the area wherein P > 73.10-3 Pa-0.5, approximately stoichiometric composition of γ’ - Fe4N phase exists and saturating of that phase by nitrogen started. The rate of the catalytic ammonia decomposition was calculated on the basis of grain volume distribution as a function of conversion degree for that catalyst. It was found that over γ’ - Fe4N phase in the stationary states the rate of catalytic ammonia decomposition depends linearly on the logarithm of the nitriding potential. The rate was decreasing along with increase in the nitriding potential. For the intermediate area, the rate of ammonia decomposition is a sum of the rates of reactions which occur on the surfaces of both Fe(N) and γ’ - Fe4N