Nanoenergetic materials: boron nanoparticles from the pyrolysis of decaborane and their functionalisation

Abstract

The surfaces of boron nanoparticles 10–150 nm in diameter, prepared by gas phase pyrolysis of decaborane vapour at 1 atm and 700–900 °C, can be halogenated by treatment with Br₂ or XeF₂; the surface halogenation somewhat increases the onset temperature for the oxidation of the particles under O₂.