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Title: Superhard sp{sup 2}–sp{sup 3} hybrid carbon allotropes with tunable electronic properties

Journal Article · · AIP Advances
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4952426· OSTI ID:22611498
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China)

Four sp{sup 2}–sp{sup 3} hybrid carbon allotropes are proposed on the basis of first principles calculations. These four carbon allotropes are energetically more favorable than graphite under suitable pressure conditions. They can be assembled from graphite through intralayer wrinkling and interlayer buckling, which is similar to the formation of diamond from graphite. For one of the sp{sup 2}–sp{sup 3} hybrid carbon allotropes, mC24, the electron diffraction patterns match these of i-carbon, which is synthesized from shock-compressed graphite (H. Hirai and K. Kondo, Science, 1991, 253, 772). The allotropes exhibit tunable electronic characteristics from metallic to semiconductive with band gaps comparable to those of silicon allotropes. They are all superhard materials with Vickers hardness values comparable to that of cubic BN. The sp{sup 2}–sp{sup 3} hybrid carbon allotroes are promising materials for photovoltaic electronic devices, and abrasive and grinding tools.

OSTI ID:
22611498
Journal Information:
AIP Advances, Vol. 6, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2158-3226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English