Synthesis of hollow boron nitride nanoboxes with ultrathin walls from cube-like LaB6.

In this study, cube-like LaB6 was synthesized by Mg coreduction of LaCl3 and B20,3. Then, boron nitride nanoboxes (BNNBs) were produced by nitriding cube-like LaB6, and the latter is not only played as boron source, but also as hard template. The results of characterization (transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) indicate that the BN products are hollow structures, the diameter of the nanoboxes is in the range of 200-1000 nm, and the wall thickness of the BN nanoboxes is 16 nm. The specific surface area of BN nanoboxes is 45 m2/g, the pore size is mainly located at 10 nm, and the total pore volume is 0.16 cm3/g. The nitriding of cube-like LaB6 into hollow BNNBs here would provide an alternative route for the synthesis of other hollow BN architectures by other boron-containing materials.