An integrated strategy towards the high-yield fabrication of soluble boron nitride nanosheets

In this contribution we report an integrated method to obtain soluble boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) by combing ball-mill, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth, Lewis acid-base interaction, and ultrasonic exfoliation. This simple and inexpensive method can achieve a high yield of 40% few layer BNNSs. Based on the excellent dispersity in water and dimethylformamide (DMF), we introduced these nanosheets into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to fabricate composite films, which display good uniformity and high thermal conductivity. The high-yield can be attributed to the synergistic effects of the multi-steps processing, while the good dispersity may be derived from the chemical functionalization and the formation of nanohybrids. The present method can promote the practical applications of BNNSs in many fields, especially the polymer-based nanocomposites.