Hydrothermal conversion of graphite to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) induced by bubble collapse

Abstract

Cu–Fe–CNTs and Ni–Fe–CNTs coatings were deposited on gray cast iron by a hydrothermal approach. It was demonstrated that, the flaky graphite of gray cast iron was exfoliated to graphene nanosheets under hydrothermal reactions, and graphene nanosheets were scrolled to CNTs. After high temperature treatments, the volume losses of Cu–Fe–CNTs and Ni–Fe–CNTs coatings were 52.6 % and 40.0 % of gray cast iron substrate at 60min wear tests, respectively, obviously increasing the wear properties of gray cast iron. During hydrothermal reactions, water jets and shock waves were produced by bubble collapse. Induced by the water jets and shock waves, exfoliation of flaky graphite was performed, producing exfoliated graphene nanosheets. Attacked by the radially distributed water jets and shock waves, graphene nanosheets were curved, shaped to semicircle morphology and eventually scrolled to tubular CNTs.