PRECIPITATION OF CARBON NANOPARTICLES ENCAPSULATING SILICON-CARBIDE FROM MOLTEN OXIDE

A kind of fullerenes, carbon nanoparticle encapsulating beta-SiC grain , was precipitated during cooling Al2O3-Y2O3-CaO oxide melt containing SiC and C from 2023 K. The SiC grains with a diameter of 5-20 nm were covered with 2-4 graphitic carbon layers with the spacing of 0.34 nm as revealed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The r esult provides a new preparation method of carbon nanoparticles throug h a ceramic process, which contrasts with previous physical methods ap plying electric are discharge or electron irradiation in vacuum.