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Evolution of Irradiation‐Induced Vacancy Defects in Boron Nitride Nanotubes
Author(s) -
Cheng Guangming,
Yao Shanshan,
Sang Xiahan,
Hao Boyi,
Zhang Dongyan,
Yap Yoke Khin,
Zhu Yong
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201502440
Subject(s) - vacancy defect , materials science , boron nitride , irradiation , transmission electron microscopy , crystallographic defect , electron beam processing , molecular physics , condensed matter physics , nanotechnology , chemistry , physics , nuclear physics
Irradiation‐induced vacancy defects in multiwalled (MW) boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are investigated via in situ high‐resolution transmission electron microscope operated at 80 kV, with a homogeneous distribution of electron beam intensity. During the irradiation triangle‐shaped vacancy defects are gradually generated in MW BNNTs under a mediate electron current density (30 A cm −2 ), by knocking the B atoms out. The vacancy defects grow along a well‐defined direction within a wall at the early stage as a result of the curvature induced lattice strain, and then develop wall by wall. The orientation or the growth direction of the vacancy defects can be used to identify the chirality of an individual wall. With increasing electron current density, the shape of the irradiation‐induced vacancy defects changes from regular triangle to irregular polygon.