Convert graphene sheets to boron nitride and boron nitride-carbon sheets via a carbon-substitution reaction

Here we discuss our synthesis of highly crystalline pure boron nitride (BN) and BN-carbon (BN-C) sheets by using graphene sheets as templates via a carbon-substitution reaction. Typically, these sheets are several micrometers wide and have a few layers. The composition ratios of BN-C sheets can be controlled by the post-treatment (remove carbon by oxidation) temperature. We also observed pure BN and BN-C nanoribbons. We characterized the BN-C sheets via Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The results reveal that BN-C sheets with an armchair C-BN chain, and embedded C(2) or C(6) units in BN-dominated regions energetically are the most favorable. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3593492]