Novel route to high-yeld synthesis of sp2-hybridized boron nitride nanoplates on stainless steel

The synthesis of randomly distributed sp(2)-BN nanoplates embedded in a steel matrix was achieved by using boron doped AISI 316 stainless steel as substrates and a dissociated anhydrous NH3 atmosphere at 1070 degrees C as the nitrogen source. The chemical and morphological nature of the BN nanoplates has been studied by means of the combined use of XPS, FESEM-EDS, FTIR, XRD and SIMS techniques. The BN nanoplates are generally 100-400 nm wide and in many cases are characterised by a triangular or quasi-triangular shape with some truncated and broken nanoplates that form a film whose thickness varies from 45 to 60 nm as a function of the boron content. This synthesis has the potential for coating stainless steel vacuum components and vessel walls with a stable film inert to gas adsorption to be used for the production of the next-generation of high performance stainless steel components for vacuum technology such as particle accelerators, thin film deposition and surface analysis equipment and further, as precursors for the fabrication of c-BN nanoplates.