Boron-carbon-nitrogen materials of graphite-like structure

New structural relatives of graphite with the composition BxCyNx have been synthesized from the interaction of boron trichloride, acetylene and ammonia at 400–700°C. A hexagonal layer structure type is indicated by X-ray and electron diffraction data. Binding energies of 1s electrons (ESCA) for B, C and N indicate that each graphite-like sheet is a composite of all three elements. The material of approximate composition B0.35C0.30N0.35 is a semiconductor and is intercalated by both strong reducing and oxidizing agents.