In nanotube science, is boron nitride the new carbon? A technique for synthesizing many 'white graphene' nanotubes at a time paves the way for stronger, heat-resistant composites, and membranes for renewable energy

Engineers synthesized aligned forests of nanoscale fibers made of boron nitride, or 'white graphene.' They hope to harness the technique to fabricate bulk-scale arrays of these nanotubes, which can then be combined with other materials to make stronger, more heat-resistant composites, for instance to shield space structures and hypersonic aircraft.