Fabrication of onion-like fullerene nanostructure film by electrochemical reduction

Abstract

Onion-like fullerenes possess distinctive physical and chemical performance, and thus are believed to have great significance in theoretical study and engineering applications. In this exploratory research, we introduced a novel way, namely electrochemical reduction method performed in aqueous solution at room temperature and very low voltages, for preparing a film composed of onion-like fullerene nanostructures. The method was discovered by accident. During the preparation of thick Cr coating by electrodepositing from Cr (III) electrolyte, a layer of black film was found at the interface between the steel substrate and Cr coating. XPS analysis shows that the main element contained in the film is C. The results from Raman spectrum, HRTEM and SAED reveal that the carbonaceous film is composed of the nanostructures roughly having onion-like fullerene unit. This means with significant advantages has the potential to develop into a practical technique for fabricating carbonaceous films or coatings.

Keywords:

• Carbonaceous films/coatings
• onion-like fullerenes
• non-equilibrium
• dissipative structure
• electrochemical reduction

Disclosure statement

This work has no interest conflict with any organization or individual.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant number 51305434.