A radical anion based functionalization of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials is proposed. The covalent functionalization of the basal plane of 2D materials with charge neutral radicals is typically unstable to reduction, leading to detachment of the functional groups from the basal plane upon reduction. This instability hinders the use of functionalized 2D materials as rechargeable electroactive species, unless the functional groups are bound to the edges of the 2D material. However, to achieve high capacity without the creation of many edges and defects, a stable functionalization of the basal plane in the reduced state is required. This goal can be achieved by radical anion functionalization, whereby the reduced/discharged state of the basal-plane-functionalized 2D material is produced. The product of the radical anion functionalization can be used as the discharged state of a cathode active material, solid electrolyte or part of a polymer composite.

Nanoplatelets are prepared from a 3D layered material by: providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, pressurising the dispersion, rapidly depressurising the dispersion to create shear forces that exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets; and/or providing a dispersion of the 3D layered material, forming a first flow of the dispersion along a first flowpath in a first direction, forming a second flow of the dispersion along a second flowpath in a second direction by reversing the first flow or by forming the second flow in a second flowpath, wherein the second flowpath is substantially reverse and non-coaxial with the first flowpath, whereby shear forces between material in the first flowpath and material in the second flowpath exfoliate the 3D layered material into nanoplatelets. Also provided are apparatuses for carrying out the invention and nanoplatelets obtained by the invention.

The boron nitride nanomaterial of the present invention is a boron nitride nanomaterial comprising a boron nitride nanotube and a boron nitride nanosheet, and having a peak top of a Raman spectrum located at 1369 cm.sup.−1 or more.

A group of reductive 2D materials (R2D) with extended reactive vacancies and a method for making the R2D with extended reactive vacancies are provided, especially the example of the reductive boron nitride (RBN). To create defects such as vacancies, boron nitride (BN) powders are milled at cryogenic temperatures. Vacancies are produced by milling, and the vacancies can be used to reduce various metal nanostructures on RBN. Due to the thermal stability of the RBN and the enhanced catalytic performance of metal nanostructures, RBN-metals can be used for different catalysts, including electrochemical catalysts and high temperature catalysts.

A microstructure comprises a plurality of interconnected units wherein the units are formed of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) tubes. The graphene tubes may be formed by photo-initiating the polymerization of a monomer in a pattern of interconnected units to form a polymer microlattice, removing unpolymerized monomer, coating the polymer microlattice with a metal, removing the polymer microlattice to leave a metal microlattice, depositing an h-BN precursor on the metal microlattice, converting the h-BN precursor to h-BN, and removing the metal microlattice.

A method of manufacturing a silica-coated boron nitride particle including a first step of covering the surface of the boron nitride particle with an organic silicone compound having a specific structure and a second step of heating the boron nitride particle covered with the organic silicone compound at a temperature of 500° C. or more and 1000° C. or less, wherein the content of carbon atoms in the silica-coated boron nitride particle is 1000 ppm by mass or less. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a heat dissipating resin composition containing the silica-coated boron nitride particle; and silica-coated boron nitride particles.

A surface-treated aggregated boron nitride powder is prepared by using the boron nitride powder as the raw material, adding an oxidizer to the boron nitride aggregated grains, wet-pulverizing or wet-crushing the grains for surface modification treatment of the particles and allowing reaction of the particles with a metal coupling agent. The surface-treated boron nitride aggregated grains are formed by aggregation of hexagonal h-BN primary particles; (B) have any one or more of Si, Ti, Zr, Ce, Al, Mg, Ge, Ga, and V in an amount of 0.1 atm % or more and 3.0 atm % or less in its composition on the surface of 10 nm; (C) have a crushing strength of 5 MPa or more; and (D) have an average particle diameter of 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

The present invention relates to aggregated boron nitride particles including hexagonal boron nitride primary particles aggregated, including a spacer type coupling agent. The thermally conductive resin composition of the present invention includes the aggregated boron nitride particles of the present invention. The heat dissipation member of the present invention includes the thermally conductive resin composition of the present invention. According to the present invention, aggregated boron nitride particles that can suppress the formation of voids in a heat dissipation member produced by mixing with a resin, a thermally conductive resin composition including the aggregated boron nitride particles, and a heat dissipation member using the thermally conductive resin composition can be provided.

A composition (or an aggregate) comprising an epitaxial h-BN/BNNT structure that comprises a hexagonal boron nitride structure that is epitaxial with respect to a boron nitride nanotube structure. Also, a composition (or an aggregate) that comprises independent boron nitride nanotubes, in which a total mass percentage of independent hexagonal boron nitride and residual boron in the composition is not more than 35%. Also, a composition (or an aggregate) in which not more than 1% of independent boron nitride nanotubes and boron nitride nanotube structures have a dixie cup or bamboo defect. Also, a composition in which at least 50% of independent boron nitride nanotubes and boron nitride nanotube structures are single-wall. Also, a method of making a composition that comprises epitaxial h-BN/BNNT structures.

A surface-treated aggregated boron nitride powder is prepared by using the boron nitride powder as the raw material, adding an oxidizer to the boron nitride aggregated grains, wet-pulverizing or wet-crushing the grains for surface modification treatment of the particles and allowing reaction of the particles with a metal coupling agent. The surface-treated boron nitride aggregated grains are formed by aggregation of hexagonal h-BN primary particles; (B) have any one or more of Si, Ti, Zr, Ce, Al, Mg, Ge, Ga, and V in an amount of 0.1 atm % or more and 3.0 atm % or less in its composition on the surface of 10 nm; (C) have a crushing strength of 5 MPa or more; and (D) have an average particle diameter of 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less.