Multilayer boron nitride nanofilm as an effective barrier for atomic oxygen irradiation

L Cheng and YB Shi and Y Hao and WS Li and SM Ren and LP Wang, APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, 504, 144394 (2020).

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144394

Boron nitride (BN) nanofilm, as a structural analogue of graphene, is one of the most promising candidates for an effective anti-oxidation barrier to protect the underlying metal. Herein, the oxidation resistance of monolayer and multilayer BN nanofilms against space atomic oxygen (AO) irradiation is studied systematically. Experimental results reveal that multilayer BN coated Cu foils exhibit superior oxidation resistance against AO irradiation than that of monolayer BN coated ones and bare Cu, resulting from the high impermeability of multilayer films. Density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that AO can be absorbed spontaneously on the surface of BN plane and can't move arbitrarily. However, AO can still damage monolayer BN film after long time irradiation, leading to the oxidation of underneath Cu. In comparison to monolayer BN, the multilayer designing of BN may adsorb AO on the top layer, and increases the diffusion difficulties of AO passing layers, which enhances the barrier performance against AO. These results prove that multilayer BN have an important promising implication as one oxidation-inhibiting barrier to anti-AO in space.

Return to Publications page