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Abstract: Four types of BN nanotubes are selectively synthesized by annealing porous precursor in flowing NH3 and NH3/H2 atmosphere at temperature ranging from 1000 to 1200°C in a vertical furnace. The as-synthesized BN nanotubes, including cylinder, wave-like, bamboo-like and bubble-chain, are characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, TEM and HRTEM. Three phenomenological growth models are proposed to interpret growth scenario and structure features of the four types of BN nanotubes. Selectivity of nanotubes formation is estimated as approximately 80–95%. The precursor containing B, Mg, Fe and O prepared by self-propagation high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method plays a key role in selective synthesis of the as-synthesized BN nanotubes. Chemical reactions are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanocrystalline Mo2C powders were successfully synthesized at 500°C by reacting molybdenum chloride (MoCl5) with C (graphite or carbon nanotube) in metallic sodium medium. X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) and surface area analyzer (BET method) were used to characterize the samples. Experiments reveal that the carbon source used for the carbide synthesis has a great effect on the particle size and the surface area of the samples. When micro-sized graphite was used as C source the obtained nanocrystalline Mo2C powder consists of particles of 30∼100nm, with a surface area of 2.311m2/g. When carbon nanotubes were used as C source, the as-synthesized Mo2C sample is composed of particles of 20∼50nm, with a surface area of 23.458m2/g, which is an order of magnitude larger than that of the carbide prepared from the graphite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]