Scientists create new boron form that stretches 23% and conducts electricity

October 3, 2026 at 06:03 PM1 min

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Researchers at Yanshan University in China synthesized a new boron allotrope, Imma-B60, that stretches 23% before breaking and conducts electricity a million times better than ordinary boron. The material was made using a two-step process involving sodium under high pressure and heating to 900°C in vacuum. The discovery is the first new boron allotrope since 2009.

Key Facts

Imma-B60 was synthesized by researchers led by Xiang-Feng Zhou at Yanshan University in China.
The material stretches 23% of its original length before breaking.
Its electrical conductivity is a million times higher than ordinary boron forms.
The synthesis used a two-step process: reaction with sodium under high pressure, then heating to 900°C in vacuum.
Crystals obtained so far are about three micrometers in size, roughly twenty times thinner than a human hair.

Synthesis Method

The team led by Xiang-Feng Zhou at Yanshan University in China used a two-step approach never before applied to boron. First, boron was forced to react with sodium under high pressure. Then the mixture was heated to 900°C in vacuum, removing nearly all sodium and yielding pure Imma-B60. Artem Oganov, a materials chemist at Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, called the approach elegant and modern, noting potentially far-reaching consequences.

Properties and Potential Applications

The crystal structure contains open gaps where sodium atoms were previously located, giving the material plasticity. In experiments, the sample stretched 23% of its original length before breaking. Electrical conductivity exceeds all known boron allotropes, and fully purified material should become a metallic conductor. Possible applications include solar panels, thermoelectric devices, and replacement of boron carbide in lightweight armor. Irina Chuvashova, a chemist at Florida International University, said crystals need to reach millimeters or centimeters for thermoelectric use.