Lattice-Disordered Boron Nitride Colloidal Catalyst for Low-Temperature Selective Methane Oxidation

Metal-free boron nitride (BN) catalysts hold great potential in numerous significant reactions, particularly in the selective oxidation of light alkanes, due to their unique ability to suppress overoxidation. However, the chemically stable BN catalysts often require high reaction temperatures, resulting in elevated energy consumption and less favorable for valuable oxygenate production. Enhancing the structural disorder within BN, increasing the density and refining the operational system are crucial for low-temperature applications, but modifying the inherently inert BN structure remains a significant challenge. Here, we report the controllable synthesis of lattice-disordered BN colloids by tailoring the defects. Spectroscopic, microscopic, and theoretical experiments revealed that increasing the number of vacancies in adjacent layers of hexagonal or porous BN leads to the formation of …