Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNNS) were synthesized on silver (Ag) substrates via a scalable, room-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) technique, employing borazine as a precursor. This approach overcomes the limitations of conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which requires high temperatures (>800 °C) and low pressures (10⁻² Pa). The h-BNNS were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, confirming the presence of BN functional groups (805 cm⁻¹ and 1632 cm⁻¹), while FESEM/EDS revealed uniform nanosheet morphology with reduced particle size (80.66 nm at 20 min plasma exposure) and pore size (28.6 nm). XRD analysis demonstrated high crystallinity, with prominent h-BN (002) and h-BN (100) peaks, and Scherrer calculations indicated a crystallite size of ~15 nm. The coatings exhibited minimal disruption to UV-VIS reflectivity, maintaining Ag’s optical properties. Crucially, Vickers hardness tests showed a 39% improvement (38.3 HV vs. 27.6 HV for pristine Ag) due to plasma-induced cross-linking and interfacial adhesion. This work establishes APP as a cost-effective, eco-friendly alternative for growing h-BNNS on temperature-sensitive substrates, with applications in optical mirrors, corrosion-resistant coatings, energy devices and gas sensing.

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