Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is a metastable form of amorphous carbon with significant sp3 bonding. DLC is a semiconductor with a high mechanical hardness, chemical inertness, and optical transparency. This review will describe the deposition methods, deposition mechanisms, characterisation methods, electronic structure, gap states, defects, doping, luminescence, field emission, mechanical properties and some applications of DLCs. The films have widespread applications as protective coatings in areas, such as magnetic storage disks, optical windows and micro-electromechanical devices (MEMs).

/pdf/diamond-like-amorphous-carbon-3pczopr0z7.pdf

Diamond-like amorphous carbon

Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vass. Constantinou Avenue, 116 35 Athens, Greece, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, UPR9021 CNRS, Immunologie et Chimie Therapeutiques, 67084 Strasbourg, France, and Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Universita di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes

We present the science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems, targeting an evolution in technology, that might lead to impacts and benefits reaching into most areas of society. This roadmap was developed within the framework of the European Graphene Flagship and outlines the main targets and research areas as best understood at the start of this ambitious project. We provide an overview of the key aspects of graphene and related materials (GRMs), ranging from fundamental research challenges to a variety of applications in a large number of sectors, highlighting the steps necessary to take GRMs from a state of raw potential to a point where they might revolutionize multiple industries. We also define an extensive list of acronyms in an effort to standardize the nomenclature in this emerging field.

/pdf/science-and-technology-roadmap-for-graphene-related-two-4q9m7czlkc.pdf

Science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems

and Applications of Fullerenes, Carbon Dots, Nanotubes, Graphene, Nanodiamonds, and Combined Superstructures Vasilios Georgakilas,† Jason A. Perman,‡ Jiri Tucek,‡ and Radek Zboril*,‡ †Material Science Department, University of Patras, 26504 Rio Patras, Greece ‡Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, 17 listopadu 1192/12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Broad family of carbon nanoallotropes: classification, chemistry, and applications of fullerenes, carbon dots, nanotubes, graphene, nanodiamonds, and combined superstructures.

We show that the Raman scattering technique can give complete structural information for one-dimensional systems, such as carbon nanotubes. Resonant confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy of an (n,m) individual single-wall nanotube makes it possible to assign its chirality uniquely by measuring one radial breathing mode frequency omega(RBM) and using the theory of resonant transitions. A unique chirality assignment can be made for both metallic and semiconducting nanotubes of diameter d(t), using the parameters gamma(0) = 2.9 eV and omega(RBM) = 248/d(t). For example, the strong RBM intensity observed at 156 cm(-1) for 785 nm laser excitation is assigned to the (13,10) metallic chiral nanotube on a Si/SiO2 surface.

Structural (n,m) determination of isolated single wall carbon nanotubes by resonant Raman scattering

A simple method to fabricate high-quality nanoparticles including spherical carbon onions and elongated fullerene-like nanoparticles similar to nanotubes in large quantities without the use of vacuum equipment is reported. The nanoparticles are obtained in the form of floating powder on the water surface following an arc discharge between two graphite electrodes submerged in water. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and scanning electron microscopy images confirm the presence of spherical carbon onions with diameters ranging from 4 to 36 nm. The specific surface area of the floating powder was found to be very large, 984.3 m2/g, indicating that the material is promising for gas storage. From the surface area measurements, the mean particle diameter was calculated to be 3.7 nm. This value is close to the lower limit of the carbon onions observed in HRTEM. However, closer HRTEM observations also reveal that some carbon onions are not well crystallized. The large specific surface area c...

/pdf/properties-of-carbon-onions-produced-by-an-arc-discharge-in-2ua87weg0b.pdf

Properties of carbon onions produced by an arc discharge in water

We compare the field emission characteristics of dense (109 nanofibers/cm2), sparse (107 nanofibers/cm2), and patterned arrays (106 nanofibers/cm2) of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers on silicon substrates. The carbon nanofibers were prepared using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of acetylene and ammonia gases in the presence of a nickel catalyst. We demonstrate how the density of carbon nanofibers can be varied by reducing the deposition yield through nickel interaction with a diffusion layer or by direct lithographic patterning of the nickel catalyst to precisely position each nanofiber. The patterned array of individual vertically aligned nanofibers had the most desirable field emission characteristics, highest apparent field enhancement factor, and emission site density.

Field emission from dense, sparse and patterned arrays of carbon nanofibers

The ability to grow carbon nanotubes/nanofibres (CNs) with a high degree of uniformity is desirable in many applications. In this paper, the structural uniformity of CNs produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition is evaluated for field emission applications. When single isolated CNs were deposited using this technology, the structures exhibited remarkable uniformity in terms of diameter and height (standard deviations were 4.1 and 6.3% respectively of the average diameter and height). The lithographic conditions to achieve a high yield of single CNs are also discussed. Using the height and diameter uniformity statistics, we show that it is indeed possible to accurately predict the average field enhancement factor and the distribution of enhancement factors of the structures, which was confirmed by electrical emission measurements on individual CNs in an array.

/pdf/plasma-enhanced-chemical-vapour-deposition-carbon-nanotubes-ply5cx6vom.pdf

Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition carbon nanotubes/nanofibres - How uniform do they grow?

We report on the fabrication of field emission microcathodes which use carbon nanotubes as the field emission source. The devices incorporated an integrated gate electrode in order to achieve truly low-voltage field emission. A single-mask, self-aligned technique was used to pattern the gate, insulator and catalyst for nanotube growth. Vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes were then grown inside the gated structure by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Our self-aligned fabrication process ensured that the nanotubes were always centred with respect to the gate apertures (2 µm diameter) over the entire device. In order to obtain reproducible emission characteristics and to avoid degradation of the device, it was necessary to operate the gate in a pulsed voltage mode with a low duty cycle. The field emission device exhibited an initial turn-on voltage of 9 V. After the first measurements, the turn-on voltage shifted to 15 V, and a peak current density of 0.6 mA cm-2 at 40 V was achieved, using a duty cycle of 0.5%.

/pdf/fabrication-and-electrical-characteristics-of-carbon-46nwe2d6vj.pdf

Fabrication and electrical characteristics of carbon nanotube field emission microcathodes with an integrated gate electrode

Carbon nanotubes and nanofibers are graphitic filaments/whiskers with diameters ranging from 0.4 to 500 nm and lengths in the range of several micrometers to millimeters. Carbon nanofibers and nanotubes are grown by the diffusion of carbon (via catalytic decomposition of carbon containing gases or vaporized carbon from arc discharge or laser ablation) through a metal catalyst and its subsequent precipitation as graphitic filaments [1–6]. Three distinct structural types of filaments have been identified based on the angle of the graphene layers with respect to the filament axis [5, 7], namely stacked, herringbone (or cup-stacked [8]), and nanotubular [9] as shown in Figure 1. It can be seen that the graphite platelets are perpendicular to the fiber axis in the stacked form, the graphene platelets are at an angle to the fiber axis in the herringbone form, and tubular graphene walls are parallel to the fiber axis in the nanotube. In the literature today, the common practice is to classify the stacked and herringbone forms of graphitic filaments under the general nomenclature of “nanofibers” whereas “nanotube” is used to describe the case where tubular graphene walls are parallel to the filament axis. Other definitions used today are that highly crystallized tubular structures are nanotubes whereas defective ones are nanofibers, or tubular structures ∼20 nm or below in diameter are nanotubes but larger diameter filaments are fibers. In this work, we prefer to use the term nanotube to describe carbon filaments with tubular graphene walls parallel to the axis and use the term nanofiber for carbon filaments with graphene layers at other angles. This is because special physical properties arise from the “nanotube” structure which distinguish it from the “nanofiber” structure, which itself has other advantageous properties, as will be described later. Carbon nanofibers and nanotubes have been synthesized since the 1960s, but why has one particular form (i.e. the nanotube) received so much attention recently? In 1991, Iijima reported that highly graphitized carbon nanotubes, formed from the arc discharge of graphite electrodes, contained several coaxial tubes and a hollow core [9]. This important discovery led to the realization that with graphene tubes parallel to the filament axis, these highly crystallized tubular carbon structures would inherit several important properties of “intraplane” graphite. In particular, a nanotube exhibits high electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength along its axis. As there are very few open edges and dangling bonds in the structure, nanotubes are also very inert and species tend

/pdf/catalytic-synthesis-of-carbon-nanotubes-and-nanofibers-198nwz4wdf.pdf

Kbk Teo

Papers

Properties of carbon onions produced by an arc discharge in water

Field emission from dense, sparse and patterned arrays of carbon nanofibers

Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition carbon nanotubes/nanofibres - How uniform do they grow?

Fabrication and electrical characteristics of carbon nanotube field emission microcathodes with an integrated gate electrode

Catalytic synthesis of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers