Catalytic growth of vertically aligned neutron sensitive ¹⁰Boron nitride nanotubes

¹⁰Boron nitride nanotubes (¹⁰BNNTs) are a potential neutron sensing element in a solid-state neutron detector. The aligned ¹⁰BNNT can be used for its potential application without any further purification. Argon-supported thermal CVD is used to achieve vertically aligned ¹⁰BNNT with the help of nucleation sites produced in a thin layer of magnesium–iron alloy deposited at the top of Si substrate. FESEM shows vertically aligned ¹⁰BNNTs with ball-like catalytic tips at top. EDX reveals magnesium (Mg) contents in the tips that refer to catalytic growth of ¹⁰BNNT. HR-TEM shows tubular morphology of the synthesized ¹⁰BNNT with lattice fringes on its outer part having an interlayer spacing of ~0.34 nm. XPS shows B 1 s and N 1 s peaks at 190.5 and 398 eV that correspond to hexagonal ¹⁰Boron nitride (¹⁰h-BN) nature of the synthesized ¹⁰BNNT, whereas the Mg kll auger peaks at ~301 and ~311 eV represents Mg contents in the sample. Raman spectrum has a peak at 1390 (cm⁻¹) that corresponds to E _2g mode of vibration in ¹⁰h-BN.