Direct Transformation of Hexagonal Boron Nitride to Denser Forms

Hexagonal, graphitelike boron nitride may be changed directly into the zincblende cubic form reported earlier or into a new wurtzite form by the application of static high pressures. No catalyst appears to be necessary. At high temperatures, between about 2500° and 4000°K, the zincblende form is favored; at lower temperatures, down to 300°K, the wurtzite form is favored; frequently both forms appear together. The minimum pressure required for the transformations is about 115 kbar at 2000°K; somewhat higher pressures, of the order of 130 kbar, suffice at higher and lower temperatures. The crystallites of the dense phases are small but give good x-ray diffraction patterns from which the crystal structures can be determined.