The new work suggests that a preparation of boron nitride could outperform many nanomaterials and more traditional approaches.

BBC: 'White graphene' soaks up pollutants and can be re-used

Boron nitride, or "white graphene", is similar to its namesake: sheets of atoms laid out like a chain-link fence.

BBC: 'White graphene' soaks up pollutants and can be re-used

His group is trying to make nano-electrical components, and has built transistors based on tubes made of boron nitride.

ECONOMIST: Was the carbon nanotube overhyped?

That means the electronic applications seem likely to go to boron nitride and other non-carbon tubes with similar properties.

ECONOMIST: Nanotechnology: Pipe dreams | The

These porous sheets, which together form a coarse white powder, vastly outperformed sheets that did not have the pores, and commercially available chunks of boron nitride that is not made up of the tiny sheets.

BBC: 'White graphene' soaks up pollutants and can be re-used