Boron nitride nanotube fibrils and yarns

Abstract

A method for the production of long, high aspect ratio boron nitride nanotubes and boron nitride nanotube fibrils composed of single or few walled boron nitride nanotubes aligned in bundles of nanotubes 20 μm and longer at a rate of above about 1 meter per second. Nanotube yarns comprised of twisted bundles of such nanotube fibrils are also described.

1 ) Boron nitride nanotube fibrils comprised of longitudinally aligned bundles of boron nitride nanotubes 20 μm or more in length. 
   
   
       2 ) The boron nitride nanotube fibrils of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinally aligned bundles of boron nitride nanotubes are at least 10 cm long. 
   
   
       3 ) The boron nitride nanotube fibrils of  claim 1  wherein the boron nitride nanotubes are single walled, few walled or multi-walled. 
   
   
       4 ) A boron nitride yarn comprising spun boron nitride nanotube fibrils comprised of longitudinally aligned bundles of boron nitride nanotubes 20 μm or more in length. 
   
   
       5 ) The boron nitride yarn of  claim 4  wherein the longitudinally aligned bundles of boron nitride nanotubes are at least 10 cm long. 
   
   
       6 ) The boron nitride yarn of  claim 4  wherein the boron nitride nanotubes are single walled, few walled or multi walled.