Scientists have created a scalable cryogenic process for producing borophene sheets that efficiently harvest energy from motion, enabling next-generation flexible electronics.
(Nanowerk Spotlight) Scientists have created a remarkably simple method to produce borophene—a material that could revolutionize everything from wearable electronics to battery technology. The new approach uses common liquid nitrogen to create high-quality sheets of this single-atom-thick material, solving production problems that have blocked its practical use for years.
Borophene consists of a single layer of boron atoms and possesses extraordinary properties. It conducts electricity better than graphene along certain directions, demonstrates remarkable flexibility, and offers superior strength and thermal conductivity. These qualities make it an ideal candidate for next-generation electronics, but until now, producing it required expensive equipment and yielded minimal amounts.
A research team from the University of Newcastle, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Martin-Luther-Universität, and the National Isotope Centre tackled this challenge with an approach so straightforward it might seem too simple to work. The reported their findings in Advanced Science (“Cryo-Exfoliation Synthesis of Borophene and its Application in Wearable Electronics”).
Schematic representations of borophene lattice structures and properties. (Image: Reprinted with permission by Wiley-VCH)
“We essentially shock the material with extreme cold,” explains lead researcher Prashant Kumar. “This weakens the connections between layers of boron, making them much easier to separate into individual sheets.”
The process begins by immersing crystalline boron powder in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. This sudden temperature plunge creates intense stress within the material. Computer simulations showed this thermal shock pushes boron layers apart, weakening the forces holding them together by about 17 times.
After the cryogenic treatment, researchers apply gentle sound waves to the material in a solution of common laboratory solvents. This mild treatment separates the loosened layers into thin sheets of borophene with minimal damage.
Tests confirmed the quality of the resulting material. Electron microscopes revealed pristine crystalline structures with minimal defects. Chemical analysis showed very little surface oxidation—a common problem with other production methods that compromises borophene’s performance.
To demonstrate real-world applications, the team mixed their borophene into a polymer called PVDF to create flexible films. When bent, pressed, or tapped, these films generate impressive electrical outputs: a finger tap produces nearly 37 volts, while a footstep creates almost 58 volts. This significantly outperforms similar devices made with other materials like graphene or carbon nanotubes.
“The material transforms ordinary body movements into usable electricity,” says co-author Ajayan Vinu. “This opens possibilities for self-powered wearable devices that don’t need external charging.”
The mechanism works because borophene’s electrical conductivity enhances the polymer’s natural response to mechanical stress. When pressure deforms the material, it creates an electrical charge that borophene efficiently captures and conducts.
Unlike previous methods that produced mere micrograms of borophene, this technique yields 10-50 grams per batch—a thousand-fold improvement. The researchers demonstrated production of liter-sized quantities of borophene in solution, making large-scale applications feasible for the first time.
This scalability transforms borophene from a laboratory curiosity into a practical material for commercial development. The process requires no exotic equipment, harsh chemicals, or vacuum systems—just liquid nitrogen and basic laboratory tools.
The breakthrough illustrates how creative approaches to materials processing can sometimes overcome seemingly intractable production barriers. Rather than pursuing increasingly complex synthesis routes, the team focused on manipulating fundamental physical interactions between layers.
Their cryo-exfoliation method could accelerate development of borophene-based technologies, from flexible electronics and sensors to energy storage devices. The ability to produce significant quantities of high-quality borophene may finally allow engineers to exploit the material’s exceptional properties in practical applications.
The research demonstrates how scientific innovation sometimes comes through surprisingly straightforward approaches to complex problems. By harnessing the simple physical effects of extreme temperature changes, the team has potentially opened the door to an entirely new class of electronic materials and devices.
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