High temperature structural transformations of few layer graphene nanoribbons obtained by unzipping carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Multilayer and few layer graphene nanoribbons produced by oxidative unzipping of carbon multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT 10 > N > 5) and N ≤ 4 carbon few walled nanotubes (FWNT) were annealed at temperatures up to 1400 °C and the resulting carbon nanostructures were studied. Transmission electron microscopy imaging of the graphene nanoribbons annealed in bulk shows higher structural stability in larger width multilayer graphene nanoribbons than in narrow few layer nanoribbons. Fringes of dark and bright contrast along the edges of MLG indicate edge closure within the layers of the stacked graphene nanoribbons. On the other hand, narrow FLG nanoribbons fuse within each other or collapse when annealed leading to three different nanostructures: large area MLG plates several microns wide, graphitic onions of approximately 100 nm in diameter and nanocrystalline/amorphous composite particles.