In comparison with C, doping of fluorine (F) may be a new pathway

to regulate the electrical properties of h-BN. Since F is a highly electronegative element and has excessive valence electrons compared to B and N, doping F into some nanomaterials AC220 ic50 should reliably yield a p-type semiconductor at low coverages and even a conductor at high coverages [23, 24]. Some theoretical calculations have predicted the PRT062607 in vitro possible functions of doping F into h-BNNTs and h-BNNSs [24–26]. Only Tang et al. [23] reported the electrical conductivity of h-BNNTs which were fluorine-functionalized during the nanotubes’ growth. Doping F into h-BNNSs and examining their corresponding electrical properties have not been realized experimentally. Therefore, it is of crucial

importance to develop a facile method for doping F into h-BNNSs and explore its electrical properties. Herein, we doped F into few- and mono-layered h-BNNSs and first pursued their electrical properties with the scanning tunneling microscope-transmission electron microscope (STM-TEM) holder. The few-layered h-BNNSs were exfoliated from the bulk BN using a modified chemical solution route in isopropanol (IPA) at 50°C and with buy Avapritinib ultrasonicating, and subsequently fluorinated with a solution of fluoboric acid (HBF4). The fluorinated h-BNNSs exhibit a significant characteristic of a semiconductor, with a current up to 15.854 μA. Methods All chemicals were purchased from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co. Ltd. (Shanghai, China)

and Sorafenib manufacturer used without further purification. Exfoliation of bulk BN to few-layered or mono-layered h-BNNSs In a typical exfoliation process, the bulk boron nitride (BN) powders (0.25 g) were dispersed in a solvent of IPA contained in a 100-mL round-bottomed flask, and then as-formed solution was heated at 50°C for 24 h under magnetic stirring. Subsequently, the solution was subjected to further ultrasonication for 20 h in a low power sonic bath. Then the resulted solution in the flask was stood for 2 days, and the supernatant solution was removed to the centrifugal tube followed by centrifugation at 14,000 rpm for 10 min. Afterwards, the precipitate was washed with acetone several times to remove the IPA absolutely and dried at 60°C overnight. Finally, a milk-white solution of few-layered and mono-layered h-BN nanosheets (h-BNNSs) were obtained. Fluorination of h-BNNSs In a representative fluorination experiment, as-prepared h-BN nanosheets (0.25 g) and HBF4 (50 mL) were mixed in a 100-mL round-bottomed flask. Then the mixture was heated at 50°C for 8 h under magnetic stirring. After this treatment, the mixture was cooled to room temperature naturally. Finally, the fluorinated products were removed to the centrifugal tube, washed with deionized water several times, and dried at 60°C for several hours.