Microsize and nanosize BPO4 from pyrolysis of a carborane-substituted polyphosphazene

Abstract

Pyrolysis in air of the carborane-substituted polyphosphazene, {[NP({OCH2}(2)C2B10H10)](0.5) [NP({OCH2}(2)C2B9H10 center dot NBu4)](0.5)} (n) affords BPO4 crystals of varied sizes in the micro and nano regime.The materials were characterised by IR spectroscopy, SEM-EDAX, TEM, X-ray diffraction, and DTA analysis. A possible mechanism for the formation of these materials is discussed and compared with that found for the formation of metallic nanostructured materials from the pyrolysis of anchored organometallic derivatives of polyphosphazenes.