Synthesis, thermal conductivity and anti-oxidation properties of copper nanoparticles encapsulated within few-layer h-BN

Abstract Non-noble metal copper nanoparticles encapsulated within h -BN (Cu@ h -BN) were successfully synthesized by annealing copper ammine complexes and KBH 4 under flowing nitrogen gas at 900 ℃. Results indicated copper nanoparticles with an average size of 50–150 nm embedded in h -BN nanosheets of c.a. 5 nm. The few-layered h -BN capsules could effectively prevent the metal from oxygenation in the air up to c.a. 414 ℃, suggesting remarkable chemical inertness under high temperature. Furthermore, Cu@ h -BN exhibited an excellent thermal conductivity of 253.7 W m −1 K −1 in air atmosphere, suggesting its potential application for electrical packaging and thermal management.