Good reproductive preparation method of Li-intercalated hexagonal boron nitride and transmission electron microscopy – Electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis

• Published in: Solid state sciences 2015-09, Vol.47, p.68-72
• Main Authors: Sumiyoshi, A., Hyodo, H., Sato, Y., Terauchi, M., Kimura, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkali metal intercalation; Atomic properties; Boron nitride; Electrical conductivity; Electron energy loss spectroscopy; Electron microscopy; Hexagonal boron nitride; Resistivity; Spectra; Stacking; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1293-2558; 1873-3085
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2015.04.011

A Li-intercalated hexagonal boron nitride (Li-h-BNIC) phase was synthesized using a highly reproducible method that involves annealing an Li3N and h-BN mixture at 1220 K. Powder X-ray diffraction, electrical conductivity measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy were performed. The stacking of BN atomic layers in the Li-h-BNIC phase is not the same as the two-layer stacking periodicity of h-BN. TEM observation suggests the existence of incommensurate periodicity along the intralayer direction. From the low-loss and core-loss spectra, the Li-h-BNIC phase is not metal as predicted by the first-principle calculations. Satellite peaks of 1 s to π* transition in the B K-edge core-loss spectrum indicate the presence of N atom vacancies modified by O atoms in the h-BN atomic layer. [Display omitted] •A Li-intercalated h-BN phase was synthesized using a highly reproducible method.•The stacking of BN atomic layers is not the two layers stacking of h-BN but one layer.•From EELS, it is not metal as predicted by the first-principle calculations.•Satellite peaks in EELS indicate N atom vacancies modified by O atoms.