In situ observation of carbon-nanopillar tubulization caused by liquidlike iron particles.
The tubulization process of amorphous carbon nanopillars was observed in situ by transmis-sion electron microscopy. Amorphous carbon nanopillars were transformed into graphitic tubules by annealing at 650-900 degrees C in the presence of iron nanoparticles. A molten catalyst nanoparticle penetrated an amorphous carbon nanopillar, dissolving it, and leaving a graphite track behind. An iron nanoparticle moved with its shape changing like an earthworm. We concluded that the tubulization mechanism is a solid-(quasiliquid)-solid mechanism where the carbon phase transformation is a kind of liquid phase graphitization of amorphous carbon catalyzed by liquefied metal-carbon alloy nanoparticles.
Ichihashi
Toshinari
T
Fundamental and Environmental Research Laboratories, NEC Corporation, 34 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba 305-8501, Japan. t-ichihashi@ap.jp.nec.com
Fujita
Jun-Ichi
J
Ishida
Masahiko
M
Ochiai
Yukinori
Y