Formation and structure of Ag, Ge and SiC nanoparticles encapsulated in boron nitride and carbon nanocapsules

Boron nitride nanocapsules with silver nanoparticles and carbon nanocage st ructures with Ge and SiC nanoparticles were produced by the new chemical so lution process and hybrid are-discharge method. High-resolution electron mi croscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction showed the f ormation of silver and silver oxide nanoparticles encapsulated in boron nit ride nanocages, which were synthesized from mixtures of boric acid, urea an d silver nitrate by reduction at 300-700 degrees C in hydrogen gas. Ge and SiC nanoparticles and nanowires encapsulated in carbon nanocapsules and nan otubes were also produced by direct current and radio frequency hybrid are- discharge of C, Ge and Si elements. The present work indicates that the var ious baron nitride and carbon nanocage structures with electronic conductor s, superhard materials, semiconductor nanoparticles and nanowires can be sy nthesized by the new chemical process and hybrid are-discharge method, and the chemical synthesis of the boron nitride nanocapsules from the organic s olution materials is a useful fabrication method for the mass production of low-dimensional nanocage structures at low temperatures compared to the or dinary are-discharge method. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights rese rved.