Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an emerging material that is witnessing growing applications across several industries globally. The unique properties of h-BN including its chemical and thermal stability, high dielectric strength, low thermal conductivity and ability to act as a solid lubricant are propelling its demand. In this article, we analyze the key factors driving the h-BN market and provide an outlook on future growth opportunities.
Unique Properties Make h-BN Highly Suitable for Diverse Applications
Hexagonal boron nitride is a synthetic compound made of boron and nitrogen atoms arranged in a hexagonal crystal lattice structure similar to graphite. Some of the unique properties of h-BN include:
-
Chemical Inertness
- h-BN is inert to both acids and bases making it stable under harsh chemical environments. This property allows its use in applications involving corrosive chemicals.-
High Thermal Conductivity
- h-BN has a very low thermal conductivity compared to most other materials making it an excellent thermal insulator. This enables its use as a heat shield and insulation material.-
Electrical Insulation
- As an electrical insulator, h-BN finds wide usage as an insulating substrate for electronics and semiconductors.-
Solid Lubrication
- Its hexagonal layered structure gives h-BN self-lubricating properties, enabling its application as a dry lubricant and additive.-
High Purity
- h-BN can be produced at levels of 99.9% or higher purity making it suitable for applications requiring ultra-high purity.These outstanding and diverse material properties have unlocked a wide range of applications for h-BN across various industries including electronics, metallurgy, aerospace and more.
Electronics Industry Drives Significant h-BN Demand
The electronics industry currently accounts for over 50% of the global h-BN demand owing to its superior electrical and thermal insulating properties. Some key applications of h-BN in electronics include:
-
Insulating Substrate for GaN Devices
- The similar crystal structure and thermal expansion coefficients of h-BN and GaN makes it an ideal insulating substrate for gallium nitride devices used in LEDs, laser diodes and RF electronics.-
Chip Insulation
- h-BN provides effective insulation between semiconductor chips and the case/heat sinks enabling optimal heat dissipation from high-power electronics.-
Wafer Carrier in Epitaxy
- Its high purity and inertness make h-BN an indispensable material used for wafer carrier in metal organic chemical vapor deposition tools for III-V epitaxy.-
Thermal Interface Material
- High in-plane thermal conductivity and low dielectric constant qualify h-BN as a efficient thermal interface material critical for heat dissipation in modern powerful chips and modules.The growing demand for advanced power electronics in applications like EV/HEV, 5G infrastructure, renewable energy conversion is fueling exponential growth of the above applications and h-BN material usage.
Metallurgy Industry Another Major End User
Owing to its self-lubricating nature and high purity, h-BN emerges as an effective alternative to commonly used lubricants as an additive as well as a standalone lubricant, especially for high-temperature applications. Some key metallurgical applications of h-BN include:
-
High Temperature Lubricant
- Ability to withstand temperatures up to 1000°C without decomposing makes h-BN ideally suited as a lubricant for hot metal forming, hot metal extrusion, hot forging processes etc.-
Lubricant Additive
- Used as an additive in metalworking fluids and greases, h-BN enhances the load-carrying capacity and reduces friction and wear.-
Diamond Polishing
- Finely powdered h-BN acts as an efficient polishing agent to shape and polish diamonds effectively at high temperatures.-
Graphite Production
- As a raw material, h-BN acts as a source of nitrogen to modify graphite microstructure during graphite electrode production.The flourishing metal manufacturing industry coupled with increasing mechanization and automation is imparting strong growth momentum to h-BN consumption in metallurgical applications.
Aerospace Sector Propels High-End h-BN Usage
The aerospace industry represents a niche market that demands high-performance materials. Some specialized h-BN applications catering to this sector include:
-
Thermal Protection Systems
- Large single crystal h-BN plates provide effective ablation and ensure safe re-entry of space planes owing to capability of retaining integrity at high temperatures up to 3000°C in non-oxidizing atmospheres.-
Friction Stir Welding
- High purity h-BN powder aid in producing defect-free welds of critical aerospace-grade aluminum alloys through its self-lubricating and plugging action during friction stir welding process.-
Solid Rocket Propellant
- Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant industry utilizes h-BN as a burn rate modifier and propergellant.-
High-End Thermal Interface Materials
- The super high thermal conductivity of h-BN makes it indispensable as a thermally conductive filler in high performance thermal greases/pads for avionics.Growing space exploration programs and modernization of military aviation are driving strong growth inadvanced aerospace systems, propelling the niche h-BN market.
Market Outlook
Given its diverse and critical applications, the