Nanomesh

The nanomesh is an inorganic nanostructured two-dimensional material, similar to graphene. It was discovered in 2003 at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.^[1]

It consists of a single layer of boron (B) and nitrogen (N) atoms, which forms by self-assembly into a highly regular mesh after high-temperature exposure of a clean rhodium^[1] or ruthenium^[2] surface to borazine under ultra-high vacuum.

The nanomesh looks like an assembly of hexagonal pores^[3] (see right image) at the nanometer (nm) scale. The distance between two pore centers is only 3.2 nm, whereas each pore has a diameter of about 2 nm and is 0.05 nm deep. The lowest regions bind strongly to the underlying metal, while the wires^[3] (highest regions) are only bound to the surface through strong cohesive forces within the layer itself.

The boron nitride nanomesh is not only stable under vacuum,^[1] air^[4] and some liquids,^[5]^[6] but also up to temperatures of 796 °C (1070 K).^[1] In addition it shows the extraordinary ability to trap molecules^[5] and metallic clusters,^[2] which have similar sizes to the nanomesh pores, forming a well-ordered array. These characteristics may provide applications of the material in areas like, surface functionalisation, spintronics, quantum computing and data storage media like hard drives.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d M. Corso; Auwärter, Willi; Muntwiler, Matthias; Tamai, Anna; et al. (2004). "Boron Nitride Nanomesh". Science. 303 (5655): 217–220. Bibcode:2004Sci...303..217C. doi:10.1126/science.1091979. PMID 14716010. S2CID 11964344.
^ ^a ^b A. Goriachko; He, Y; Knapp, M; Over, H; et al. (2007). "Self-assembly of a hexagonal boron nitride nanomesh on Ru(0001)". Langmuir. 23 (6): 2928–2931. doi:10.1021/la062990t. PMID 17286422.
^ ^a ^b
In the literature different words referring to similar concepts can be found. Below is a summary of them:
- Pores, apertures, holes: areas of the nanomesh laying the closest to the underlying substrate due to a strong attraction. They form depressions, which are 0.05 nm deep and have a hexagonal shape.
- Wires: areas of the nanomesh referring to the border of the pores, which lay the farer away to the underlying substrate and therefore represent the upper part of the nanomesh.
^ O. Bunk; Corso, M; Martoccia, D; Herger, R; et al. (2007). "Surface X-ray diffraction study of boron-nitride nanomesh in air". Surf. Sci. 601 (2): L7–L10. Bibcode:2007SurSc.601L...7B. doi:10.1016/j.susc.2006.11.018.
^ ^a ^b S. Berner; M. Corso; et al. (2007). "Boron Nitride Nanomesh: Functionality from a Corrugated Monolayer". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 46 (27): 5115–5119. doi:10.1002/anie.200700234. PMID 17538919.
^ R. Widmer; Berner, S; Groning, O; Brugger, T; et al. (2007). "Electrolytic in situ STM investigation of h-BN-Nanomesh". Electrochem. Commun. 9 (10): 2484–2488. doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2007.07.019.

[corso04-1] M. Corso; Auwärter, Willi; Muntwiler, Matthias; Tamai, Anna; et al. (2004). "Boron Nitride Nanomesh". Science. 303 (5655): 217–220. Bibcode:2004Sci...303..217C. doi:10.1126/science.1091979. PMID 14716010. S2CID 11964344.

[goriachko07-2] A. Goriachko; He, Y; Knapp, M; Over, H; et al. (2007). "Self-assembly of a hexagonal boron nitride nanomesh on Ru(0001)". Langmuir. 23 (6): 2928–2931. doi:10.1021/la062990t. PMID 17286422.

[nomenc-3] In the literature different words referring to similar concepts can be found. Below is a summary of them:
Pores, apertures, holes: areas of the nanomesh laying the closest to the underlying substrate due to a strong attraction. They form depressions, which are 0.05 nm deep and have a hexagonal shape.

Wires: areas of the nanomesh referring to the border of the pores, which lay the farer away to the underlying substrate and therefore represent the upper part of the nanomesh.

[4] Pores, apertures, holes: areas of the nanomesh laying the closest to the underlying substrate due to a strong attraction. They form depressions, which are 0.05 nm deep and have a hexagonal shape.

[5] Wires: areas of the nanomesh referring to the border of the pores, which lay the farer away to the underlying substrate and therefore represent the upper part of the nanomesh.

[bunk07-4] O. Bunk; Corso, M; Martoccia, D; Herger, R; et al. (2007). "Surface X-ray diffraction study of boron-nitride nanomesh in air". Surf. Sci. 601 (2): L7–L10. Bibcode:2007SurSc.601L...7B. doi:10.1016/j.susc.2006.11.018.

[berner07-5] S. Berner; M. Corso; et al. (2007). "Boron Nitride Nanomesh: Functionality from a Corrugated Monolayer". Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 46 (27): 5115–5119. doi:10.1002/anie.200700234. PMID 17538919.

[widmer07-6] R. Widmer; Berner, S; Groning, O; Brugger, T; et al. (2007). "Electrolytic in situ STM investigation of h-BN-Nanomesh". Electrochem. Commun. 9 (10): 2484–2488. doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2007.07.019.

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