The local physical structure of amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide: insights from magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT

Magic angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques are applied to the elucidation of the local physical structure of an intermediate product in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition of thin-film amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide (B(x)CH(y)) from an orthocarborane precursor. Experimental chemical shifts are compared with theoretical shift predictions from ab initio calculations of model molecular compounds to assign atomic chemical environments, while Lee-Goldburg cross-polarization and heteronuclear recoupling experiments are used to confirm atomic connectivities. A model for the B(x)CH(y) intermediate is proposed wherein the solid is dominated by predominantly hydrogenated carborane icosahedra that are lightly cross-linked via nonhydrogenated intraicosahedral B atoms, either directly through B-B bonds or through extraicosahedral hydrocarbon chains. While there is no clear evidence for extraicosahedral B aside from boron oxides, ∼40% of the C is found to exist as extraicosahedral hydrocarbon species that are intimately bound within the icosahedral network rather than in segregated phases.