Design, syntheses and applications of chemical precursors to advanced ceramic materials in nanostructured forms

Our recent work directed at the syntheses, characterizations and applications of new organodecaborane molecular and polymeric precursors to technologically important nonoxide ceramic materials, such as boron carbide, is presented. When used in conjunction with currently available methods for nanofabrication, these new precursors enable the formation of ceramic nanostructures, including nanofibers, nanocylinders and nanoporous materials.