A method for purifying a boron nitride nanotube feedstock is disclosed, including an initial step of mixing a boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) feedstock with a solvent to form an initial mixture. This BNNT feedstock is made up of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) particles and less than about 50 weight percent BNNTs on a dry basis. This initial mixture is then sonicated within a treatment vessel using an ultrasonic probe. At least a portion of the initial mixture is filtered out of the treatment vessel and across a nanoporous membrane at the same as the sonication. In this manner, the method provides a filtrate which is enriched in h-BN particles relative to the initial mixture and a retentate which is enriched in BNNTs relative to the initial mixture.

A polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprising 96% by volume or more of cubic boron nitride, wherein the cubic boron nitride has a dislocation density of 8×10.sup.15/m.sup.2 or less, the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprises a plurality of crystal grains, and the plurality of crystal grains have a median diameter d50 of an equivalent circle diameter of less than 100 nm.

Disclosed is a method of purifying boron nitride nanotubes through a simplified process. Specifically, the method includes preparing a starting solution containing boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), a dispersant and a solvent, centrifuging the starting solution or allowing the starting solution to stand to collect a supernatant, adding an acid to the supernatant and filtering a resulting product.

A boron nitride particle having a bent shape. A resin composition containing the boron nitride particle and a resin. A method for producing a resin composition including a step of preparing the boron nitride particle and a step of mixing the boron nitride particle with a resin.

The present invention relates to a method for producing boron nitride nanostructures, the method comprising subjecting boron nitride precursor material to lamp ablation within an adiabatic radiative shielding environment. The nanostructures produced may include nano-onion structures. The boron nitride precursor material subjected to lamp ablation may include amorphous boron nitride, hexagonal boron nitride, cubic boron nitride, wurtzite boron nitride or a combination of two or more thereof.

A polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprising 96% by volume or more of cubic boron nitride, wherein the cubic boron nitride has a dislocation density of more than 8×10.sup.15/m.sup.2, the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprises a plurality of crystal grains, and the plurality of crystal grains have a median diameter d50 of an equivalent circle diameter of less than 100 nm.

Disclosed herein are processes for purifying as-synthesized boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) material to remove impurities of boron, amorphous boron nitride (a-BN), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanocages, h-BN nanosheets, and carbon-containing compounds. The processes include heating the BNNT materials at different temperatures in the presence of inert gas and a hydrogen feedstock or in the presence of oxygen.

The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma, in an apparatus comprising a treatment vessel, an electrode, a counter-electrode, and a power supply comprising one or more transformers and having a first transformer setting and a second transformer setting, the method comprising: (i) a loading step, involving loading the sample into the treatment vessel; (ii) a first treatment step involving treating the sample in a glow-discharge plasma formed within the treatment vessel by applying an electric field between the electrode and counter-electrode at the first transformer setting; (iii) a second treatment step involving treating the sample in a glow-discharge plasma formed within the treatment vessel by applying an electric field between the electrode and counter-electrode at the second transformer setting; and (iv) a removal step, involving removing treated sample from the treatment vessel. The method can be used to functionalize a sample. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for use in such a method.

A polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprising 99.5% by volume or more of cubic boron nitride, wherein the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride has a heat conductivity of 300 W/mK or more, the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride has a carbon content of 100 ppm or more and 1000 ppm or less in terms of mass, the polycrystalline cubic boron nitride comprises a plurality of crystal grains, and the plurality of crystal grains have a median diameter d50 of an equivalent circle diameter of 0.9 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

Presented here are nanocomposites and electrochemical storage systems (e.g., rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors), which are resistant to thermal runaway and are safe, reliable, and stable electrode materials for electrochemical storage systems (e.g., rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors) operated at high temperature and high pressure, and methods of making the same.