Graphite-to-amorphous structural transformation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes under proton beam irradiation

摘要

The graphite-to-amorphous structural transformation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated under 70 keV proton beam irradiation at room temperature. It was found that under proton irradiation some amorphous structure homogeneously covers the inner tube walls with graphite structure in irradiated MWCNTs. Moreover, the amorphous structure continuously proceeds and the graphite structure is reduced during the proton irradiation until the irradiated MWCNTs become amorphous nanowires with a hollow structure. The proton irradiation induced structural transformation of MWCNTs was a unique graphite-to-amorphous structural transition from the outer walls to the inner walls of the irradiated MWCNTs. The structural evolutionary mechanism of proton-beam-irradiated MWCNTs has been discussed.