In chemistry, structure is everything. Compounds with the same chemical formula can have different properties depending on the arrangement of the molecules they’re made of. And compounds with a different chemical formula but a similar molecular arrangement can have similar properties.
Graphene and a form of boron nitride called hexagonal boron nitride fall into the latter group. Graphene is made up of carbon atoms. Boron nitride, BN, is composed of boron and nitrogen atoms. While their chemical formulas differ, they have a similar structure – so similar that many chemists call hexagonal boron nitride “white graphene.”
Carbon-based graphene has lots of useful properties. It’s thin but strong, and it conducts heat and electricity very well, making it ideal for use in electronics.
Similarly, hexagonal boron nitride has a host of properties similar to graphene that could improve biomedical imaging and drug delivery, as well as computers, smartphones and LEDs. Researchers have studied this type of boron nitride for many years.
But, hexagonal boron nitride isn’t the only useful form this compound comes in.
As materials engineers, our research team has been investigating another type of boron nitride called cubic boron nitride. We want to know if combining the properties of hexagonal boron nitride with cubic boron nitride could open the door to even more useful applications.
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