Method for electrochemical transformation of amorphous material to crystalline material
A method for converting amorphous boron nitride to crystalline boron nitride, the method comprising immersing the amorphous boron nitride into anhydrous molten magnesium chloride maintained within a temperature range of 720° C.-820° C. while the amorphous boron nitride is cathodically polarized at a voltage within a range of −2.2V to −2.8V for a period of time of at least 2 minutes to result in conversion of the amorphous boron nitride to the crystalline form. Also described herein is a method for converting an amorphous carbon material to a crystalline carbon material, the method comprising immersing said amorphous carbon material into anhydrous molten magnesium chloride maintained within a temperature range of 780° C.-820° C. while the amorphous carbon material is cathodically polarized at a voltage within a range of −2.2V to −2.8V for a period of time of at least 2 minutes to result in conversion of the amorphous carbon material to the crystalline form.
1. A method for converting amorphous boron nitride to crystalline boron nitride, the method comprising immersing the amorphous boron nitride into anhydrous molten magnesium chloride maintained within a temperature range of 720° C.-820° C. while the amorphous boron nitride is cathodically polarized at a voltage within a range of −2.2V to −2.8V for a sufficient period of time to result in conversion of the amorphous boron nitride to the crystalline boron nitride.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline boron nitride is hexagonal boron nitride.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous molten magnesium chloride is maintained within a temperature range of 750° C.-820° C.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous molten magnesium chloride is maintained within a temperature range of 750° C.-800° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous boron nitride is cathodically polarized at said voltage for a period of time of at least 1 hour.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous boron nitride is cathodically polarized at said voltage for a period of time of at least 90 minutes.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous boron nitride is wrapped within and in contact with a metal mesh serving as cathodic working electrode.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said metal mesh is molybdenum.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said crystalline boron nitride exhibits an x-ray diffraction peak at 2θ of 26°.