Template synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes in mesoporous silica SBA-15

Nitride nanotubes (BN-NTs) was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using BCl3 and NH3 at relatively low temperature within the channels of mesoporous silica SBA-15. TEM images confirmed the existence of BN-NTs. The BN-NTs were of uniform diameter about 7 nm, which was consistent with the channel diameter of the template SBA-15. Using this approach, it is easy to control the diameter of BN-NTs by adjusting the diameter of the channel of mesoporous silica host.