Boron Nitride Nanomaterials and Their Applications

Boron nitride nanomaterials comprise a family of low-dimensional structures—including hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets, nanotubes, aerogels and porous frameworks—that combine exceptional thermal conductivity, mechanical robustness, chemical inertness and electrical insulation. The strong B–N bond endows these materials with high oxidation resistance and structural stability at elevated temperatures, while their layered or tubular architectures permit tailoring of surface area, porosity and mechanical flexibility. Advances in controlled synthesis and post-synthetic functionalisation have enabled scalable production of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and ultralight aerogels, as well as the fabrication of hierarchical porous networks for adsorption, separation and catalytic processes. In parallel, the inherent biocompatibility and boron content of these nanostructures has spurred exploration of biomedical applications, notably boron neutron capture therapy, drug delivery and bioimaging. Integration of boron nitride nanomaterials into polymer composites and structural devices has demonstrated improvements in thermal management, mechanical reinforcement and dielectric performance. Together, these developments underscore the global significance of boron nitride nanomaterials across energy, environmental, biomedical and industrial sectors.

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Boron Nitride Nanomaterials and Their Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in boron nitride nanomaterials and their applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN): A two-dimensional layered material composed of alternating boron and nitrogen atoms in a hexagonal lattice, analogous to graphene.

Boron nitride nanotube (BNNT): A rolled, seamless cylindrical form of h-BN exhibiting high tensile strength, thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.

Porous boron nitride: A three-dimensional network of boron nitride with high specific surface area and tunable pore architecture for adsorption, separation and catalytic applications.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT): A cancer treatment modality that utilises the high neutron-capture cross-section of boron-10 to produce cytotoxic particles selectively within tumour cells.

References

1. An Efficient Boron Source Activation Strategy for the Low-Temperature Synthesis of Boron Nitride Nanotubes. Nano-Micro Letters (2024).
2. Hexagonal boron nitride nanomaterials for biomedical applications. BMEMat (2024).
3. How to Tailor Porous Boron Nitride Properties for Applications in Interfacial Processes. Accounts of Materials Research (2023).
4. Ultralight boron nitride aerogels via template-assisted chemical vapor deposition. Scientific Reports (2015).