Graphene/Hexagonal Boron Nitride Composite Nanoparticles for 2D Printing Technologies

Abstract

A new approach for creating composite nanoparticles with various morphology and electric properties, based on uniform-sized small boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets and graphene flakes, is suggested. For the first time, the structures from h-BN and graphene flakes synthesized in the helium direct current plasma jet are used to fabricate composite nanoparticles and films using 2D printing technology. A method for preparing a suspension based on these composite particles is developed. The morphology of graphene decoration with small h-BN flakes depends on the composite content. It includes, for instance, graphene flakes covered with vertically arranged h-BN flakes, graphene flakes encapsulated with a monolayer of h-BN flakes. The electric properties of films and printed structures from composite nanoparticles are strongly varied (especially for the printed compositions). However, the graphene content in all cases is higher than the percolation threshold. Some composites demonstrate nonlinear current–voltage characteristics with the switching up to four orders of magnitude. In combination with the cheap printed technologies, the composite material is expected to be a perspective for electronic applications (informative processing, logic elements, tunneling graphene electronics, memristors, etc.).