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Reports that researchers at the Evanston, Illinois-based Northwestern University have delivered the world's first nanotubes, -cones and -spheres constructed from boron nitride (BN) rather than the usual carbon. What makes BN the more stable material; What detailed observations of the BN nanostructures' growth process revealed; What have limited carbon nanostructures' applications.

Mentions news related to aerospace materials. Cubic boron nitride tool bit that Mitsubishi Metal developed; Development by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration of a revised version of its PMR II thermoset polyimide, PMR-II-50, that can operate continuously at temperatures up to 700 F without a tradeoff in processibility; License that American Cyanamid has to a PMR-15 polymide with less than .1% methylene dianiline; Others.

The article offers information on the benefits offered by BAM, the world's third hardest material next to diamond and cubic boron nitride, in the U.S. It mentions that these materials is said to reduce the countries energy consumption. According to BAM co-discoverer Alan Russell, BAM is extremely hardness, slick, generates less friction and utilizes less energy.

The article focuses on the U.S. Air Force funding research and development efforts in 1987 to reassert the manufacturing know-how. That research has now begun to aid commercial manufacturers. The advanced grinding machine initiative has produced a cubic boron nitride centerless grinder with a tangential velocity of 250 m/sec. Researchers report progress in a trueing technology that uses an acoustic sensor to monitor the moment of contact with the trueing wheel. As is many times the case in research, an accidental discovery may provide new efficiencies.

Reports on the move of the Electronics Ceramics Division of the Carborundum Co. in starting the process of aluminum nitride, silicon carbide and boron nitride in replacement of beryllia in New York. Risk of developing cancer due to beryllia; Determination of the thermal conductivity properties; Provision of structural support for designs requiring mechanical strength.

The article offers information on the laser-based method for the creation of long boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) developed by U.S. researchers. It says that the pressurized vapor/condenser (PVC) method was developed with Free-Electron Laser (FEL). It notes that images from transmission electron microscope reveal that the BNNTs are narrow and have few walls. Moreover, it says that researchers plan to fully test the properties of the BNNTs to find out suitable applications for them.

Introduces the boron nitride (BN) processing aid CarboGlide from Saint-Gobain Advanced Ceramics Corp. in Amherst, New York. Incorporation of BN particles in polyolefins and fluoropolymers; Capability of processing at higher rates; Improvement of gauge control and clarity.

Reports the discovery of cubic boron-nitride by researchers at Ames Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Details on the research; Test on the material; Result of the tests conducted by the researchers.