Facile Growth of h-BN Films by Using Surface-Activated h-BN Powders as Precursors

Atomically thick hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) films have gained increasing interest, such as nanoelectronics and protection coatings. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been proven to be an efficient method for synthesizing h-BN thin films, but its precursors are still limited. Here, it is reported that a novel and easily available precursor, surface-activated h-BN (As-hBN), with NH3/N2 as an additional nitrogen source is used for CVD growth of monolayer h-BN films on the Cu foils. The as-grown h-BN films can significantly enhance the anti-oxidation ability of copper. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the reactivity of the As-hBN precursors is attributed to the decomposition of unstable BO3 and O-terminal edges on the surface under H2 atmosphere. This method provides a more reliable approach for fabricating h-BN films.