Tree-like carbon nanostructures generated by the action of atomic hydrogen on glassy carbon

Non-planar graphitic nanostructures have been generated by the reaction of atomic hydrogen with glassy carbon. The process allowed us to generate unconventional graphite-based tree-like deposits protruding from the tips of the etched glassy carbon surface. An individual tree-like deposit has dimensions ranging between 0.5 and 4 μm and is a porous aggregate of polyhedral nanoparticles and curled nanofilaments. Micro-Raman spectroscopy and electron diffraction have been used to monitor the structural modifications induced in the material. The Raman analysis of the bonding arrangement in the tree-like deposits indicates that exclusively sp 2-coordinated C atoms form these unusual carbon structures. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.