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Characterization of carbon structures produced by graphene self‐assembly
Author(s) -
Matassa Roberto,
Orlanducci Silvia,
Tamburri Emanuela,
Guglielmotti Valeria,
Sordi Daniela,
Terranova Maria Letizia,
Passeri Daniele,
Rossi Marco
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576713029488
Subject(s) - reflection high energy electron diffraction , electron diffraction , graphene , selected area diffraction , materials science , carbon nanotube , carbon fibers , nanotechnology , transmission electron microscopy , orthorhombic crystal system , stacking , nanoscopic scale , carbide derived carbon , chemical physics , crystallography , diffraction , crystal structure , chemistry , carbon nanofiber , composite material , composite number , optics , organic chemistry , physics
Low‐dimensional carbon‐based materials, in particular two‐dimensional graphenic carbon structures, have been produced from single‐walled carbon nanotube disruption using high‐shear mixing and/or treatments in sulfonitric acid mixtures at both room and high temperature. Among other two‐dimensional graphenic carbon structures, colloidal dispersions of graphenic nanoflakes have been obtained. Different structural arrangements, resulting from the reorganization of carbon because of the disruption procedures applied, were observed through selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and through reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED) analyses coupled to transmission and scanning electron microscopy observations. Such combined investigations in the real and reciprocal space provided structural information at the nanoscale on the clustering of graphene layers in nanoplatelets or/and on their assembly into highly ordered (single‐crystal) nanosheets. Furthermore, a different carbon phase exhibiting an orthorhombic cell with Cmma symmetry has been detected by SAED and RHEED analyses. In addition, a variety of self‐assemblies of hexagonal basal planes have been observed to occur as the result of their different rotational and/or translational stacking faults. Overall, the reported results contribute to define the conditions for a controlled self‐assembly of graphene‐based structures with tailored dimensions, which is an important technological challenge, as their structure at the nanoscale dramatically affects their electrical properties.