An effective precursor for growth of bubble-chain boron nitride nanotubes

Large amounts of bubble-chain boron nitride nanotubes were synthesised by annealing an effective precursor. The porous precursor was produced by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis method using Mg, B2O3, amorphous B and Fe2O3 as the starting materials, which played an important role in synthesis of BN nanotubes in large quantities. Samples were characterised by SEM, TEM, HRTEM, X-ray powder diffraction and Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The as-synthesised BN nanotubes revealed periodical bubble-chain structures, having diameters of range 20–200 nm and an average length of more than 5 µm. The effects of temperature, time and the possible mechanism of the growth of the BN nanotubes were also discussed.