Preparation and photoluminescent investigation of h-BN-like layered material B4CN4

Direct nitridation of B4C powder has been performed at temperatures ranging from 1600 to 2250 °C in a stream of nitrogen gas at ambient pressure. h-BN-like layered B4CN4 powders have been prepared by nitridation of B4C at 1800 °C. Carbon atoms were found to be not isolated in BN layers in B4CN4. A structural model with stacked h-BN and graphite layers in a ratio 8/1 for B4CN4 is excluded. The band gap of B4CN4 was estimated to be 4 eV from the low-temperature PLE spectrum, which is much different from that of BC2N (2 eV) and that of h-BN (6 eV). The low-temperature PL spectrum of B4CN4 revealed a dominant emission band at 3.55 eV.