Some embodiments described herein provide for methods for synthesizing magnesium borohydride from hydrogenation of magnesium boride at moderate temperature and pressure in the presence of a modifier. The modifier may be in form of hydrides, liquid hydrogen carriers, ammonia borane, metallic species, croconate anion based materials, ethers, amines or imines, metal carbides, borides, graphene, arenes, magnesium, aluminum, calcium or ionic liquids. Some embodiments provide for charging magnesium boride in presence of a modifier at high pressure hydrogen while simultaneously heating the material. The modification in some instances may lead to an improved magnesium boride product with enhanced properties for application in other hydrogen storage systems.

Some embodiments described herein provide for methods for synthesizing magnesium borohydride from hydrogenation of magnesium boride at moderate temperature and pressure in the presence of a modifier. The modifier may be in form of hydrides, liquid hydrogen carriers, ammonia borane, metallic species, croconate anion based materials, ethers, amines or imines, metal carbides, borides, graphene, arenes, magnesium, aluminum, calcium or ionic liquids. Some embodiments provide for charging magnesium boride in presence of a modifier at high pressure hydrogen while simultaneously heating the material. The modification in some instances may lead to an improved magnesium boride product with enhanced properties for application in other hydrogen storage systems.

A method for producing a metal boride powder includes producing a bonding gas stream from a first powder in a first fluidizing bed reactor, delivering the bonding gas stream to a second fluidized bed reactor through a conduit fluidly connecting the first and second fluidized bed reactors, fluidizing a second powder in the second fluidized bed reactor, mixing the second powder with the bonding gas stream such that a metal boride or boron-doped powder is formed.

A method for producing a metal boride powder includes producing a bonding gas stream from a first powder in a first fluidizing bed reactor, delivering the bonding gas stream to a second fluidized bed reactor through a conduit fluidly connecting the first and second fluidized bed reactors, fluidizing a second powder in the second fluidized bed reactor, mixing the second powder with the bonding gas stream such that a metal boride or boron-doped powder is formed.

Some embodiments include a method of producing metal diboride nanomaterials having thickness down to the atomic scale and lateral areas from 10 nm to over 1 m by preparing a mixture of a metal diboride and a suspending solution. The suspending solution can be an organic solvent or a solution containing water, and optionally can include a dispersion agent, such as a surfactant, a polymer, small molecule, or biopolymer. Further, the method includes exfoliating the metal diboride by exposing the mixture to ultrasonic energy, centrifuging the mixture forming supernatant that includes a dispersion of exfoliated metal diborides, and extracting the dispersion from the supernatant. Some embodiments include extracting the supernatant and casting the solution by diluting the dispersion with a second suspending solution that includes dissolved polymer. This can result in a composite film includes a dispersion of the exfoliated metal diborides and provides improved mechanical properties.

Some embodiments include a method of producing metal diboride nanomaterials having thickness down to the atomic scale and lateral areas from 10 nm to over 1 m by preparing a mixture of a metal diboride and a suspending solution. The suspending solution can be an organic solvent or a solution containing water, and optionally can include a dispersion agent, such as a surfactant, a polymer, small molecule, or biopolymer. Further, the method includes exfoliating the metal diboride by exposing the mixture to ultrasonic energy, centrifuging the mixture forming supernatant that includes a dispersion of exfoliated metal diborides, and extracting the dispersion from the supernatant. Some embodiments include extracting the supernatant and casting the solution by diluting the dispersion with a second suspending solution that includes dissolved polymer. This can result in a composite film includes a dispersion of the exfoliated metal diborides and provides improved mechanical properties.

A metal boride aerogel includes a three-dimensional aerogel structure comprising metal boride particles having an average diameter of less than one micron. A method is disclosed for forming a metal boride aerogel including dispersing boron nanoparticles in a solution of a metal salt, forming a boron-loaded metal oxide precursor gel using the dispersed boron nanoparticles in the solution of the metal salt, drying the boron-loaded metal oxide precursor gel to form a boron-loaded metal oxide precursor aerogel, and heating the boron-loaded metal oxide precursor aerogel to form a metal boride aerogel. The metal boride aerogel is essentially free of metal oxide.

A metal boride aerogel includes a three-dimensional aerogel structure comprising metal boride particles having an average diameter of less than one micron. A method is disclosed for forming a metal boride aerogel including dispersing boron nanoparticles in a solution of a metal salt, forming a boron-loaded metal oxide precursor gel using the dispersed boron nanoparticles in the solution of the metal salt, drying the boron-loaded metal oxide precursor gel to form a boron-loaded metal oxide precursor aerogel, and heating the boron-loaded metal oxide precursor aerogel to form a metal boride aerogel. The metal boride aerogel is essentially free of metal oxide.

Provided is a body, a method for manufacturing the body and a method of using of the body for nuclear shielding in a nuclear reactor. The body may include boron, iron, chromium, carbon and tungsten.

A method of preparing a boron allotrope-organic lateral heterostructural article includes providing an article comprising a substrate comprising a portion thereof coupled to a boron allotrope comprising an elemental boron layer; generating an organic compound vapor from a solid organic compound source, said organic compound vapor having a higher enthalpy of adsorption on said substrate compared to enthalpy of adsorption on said boron allotrope; and contacting said organic compound vapor with said article to selectively deposit said organic compound on a substrate portion not coupled to said boron allotrope to provide a heterostructural article comprising said organic compound and said boron allotrope laterally adjacent one to the other and providing a lateral interface one with the other.