Synthesis of body-centered cubic carbon nanocrystals

A kind of carbon nanocrystals with body-centered cubic (bcc) structure has been synthesized by using a pulsed-laser induced liquid-solid interface reaction (PLIIR). Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectra, transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, selected area electronic diffraction, and high-resolution analysis are employed to characterize the morphology, composition, and structure of the synthesized nanocrystals. The experimental analyses show that the synthesized nanocrystals are single crystals with a bee structure, the so-called C-8, which was theoretically predicted by Johnston and Hoffmann. Carbon with a bee structure has potential applications in mechanical engineering and electronics, because it is superdense and superhard. The synthesis mechanisms of bee carbon nanocrystals by PLIIR are studied.