In-situ Observation of Current-Pulse-Induced Curling of Graphene Edges and Carbon-Cages Production

Abstract

We found a new cage transformation process where Joule heating with a cyclic current pulse strongly triggered the curling of graphene edge, and enhanced the transformation of the cages feeding with a source of amorphous carbon that adhered on the graphene sheet. Here the cyclic thermal stress seems to play an important role to induce the curling of the graphene edges. We also found that internal stress induced by a mechanical vibration strongly enhanced the transformation to larger carbon-cages and multi-walled graphitic onions that was never appeared in the current pulse induction.