Katsumi Kamegawa

Novel carbon structure prepared using mica as template

A fluorine expandable mica (EM), having two-dimensional spread in its crystal form, was used as a template for carbonization of organic liquids such as quinoline and pyridine. Despite Intrinsic volatile under the ambient pressure, these organic liquids inserted into the interlayer space of mica yielded carbonaceous compound after heat treatment over 500°C in inert atmosphere. The particle size of the compound separated from the mica layer depends on that of mica as a template. Detailed TEM observation revealed unique structure, namely each particle comprised two structural parts: film and surrounding rim part. The film part was very thin, thus being transparent for SEM observation and rim part has constant width of about 20 nm. This structure is particularly interesting, because it can be carbon thin film supported by carbon micro-ring.