Liquid Crystals from BNNTs: A Mesmerizing Breakthrough in Nanomaterials

BNNTs form liquid crystals in water

Published by Quantum Server Networks – June 2025

In a striking marriage of art and nanoscience, researchers at Rice University have discovered a method to align boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into elegant liquid crystalline phases in water. This breakthrough not only delivers a new pathway for scalable, functional nanomaterials but also provides an optical treat—images so beautiful they earned a Langmuir journal cover.

Unlocking Order in the Nanoscale World

Led by Professor Matteo Pasquali and first author Joe Khoury, the research team found that BNNTs could self-organize into nematic liquid crystal phases using sodium deoxycholate (SDC), a common surfactant. Unlike their carbon nanotube cousins, BNNTs are transparent and easily observable via visible light microscopy, offering unique insights into their structural behavior.

Khoury’s keen artistic eye spotted the phenomenon during a filtration step, where the material glowed under polarized light—a clear signature of liquid crystal formation. This accidental observation turned into a focused investigation, revealing a critical concentration ratio at which BNNTs transition from disorder to orderly nematic phases in aqueous dispersions.

First-Ever Phase Diagram for BNNTs

The team systematically varied BNNT and SDC concentrations and used polarized light and cryogenic electron microscopy to map their interactions. This led to the first comprehensive phase diagram for BNNTs in surfactant solutions—a predictive tool that can guide future efforts in material processing and formulation.

What makes this advance special is its accessibility. No harsh chemicals. No exotic lab conditions. Just water, surfactant, and a precise recipe—making it reproducible across labs worldwide.

From Solution to Solid: A Scalable Material Platform

Using a simple blade-shearing technique, the researchers turned the liquid crystal dispersions into thin, aligned films on glass. These BNNT films were robust, transparent, and ideal for applications such as thermal management in electronics or reinforcement in lightweight structural composites. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy confirmed nanoscale alignment, making it a powerful method to bridge the gap between nanoscale behavior and macroscopic utility.

Potential for Future Innovations

This work lays the foundation for exploring lyotropic liquid crystals made from nanorods—a relatively untapped area in materials science. The implications span fields such as aerospace engineering, optoelectronics, nanofluidics, and beyond.

“This is just the beginning,” Pasquali remarked. “With this road map, we can now fine-tune BNNT alignment for specific applications. It’s not just about making films—it’s about opening an entirely new class of functional nanomaterials.”

The research was supported by the Welch Foundation, BNNT LLC, NASA Langley, the Technion, and Rice’s own electron microscopy facilities. And in an unexpected twist, the visual elegance of the research served as a reminder that science can be both useful and beautiful.

Read the full article by Rice University: https://news.rice.edu/news/2025/no-one-had-done-art-science-and-surprising-versatility-boron-nitride-nanotubes

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#BNNT #Nanomaterials #LiquidCrystals #MaterialsScience #RiceUniversity #NanotubeAlignment #ThermalManagement #AdvancedComposites #SurfactantChemistry #QuantumServerNetworks

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