Transformation mechanism of n-butyl terminated Si nanoparticles embedded into Si1−xCx nanocomposites mixed with Si nanoparticles and C atoms

Bright-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images, and fast-Fourier transformed electron-diffraction patterns showed that n-butyl terminated Si nanoparticles were aggregated. The formation of Si1−xCx nanocomposites was mixed with Si nanoparticles and C atoms embedded in a SiO2 layer due to the diffusion of C atoms from n-butyl termination shells into aggregated Si nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the Si1−xCx nanocomposites mixed with Si nanoparticles and C atoms existed in almost all regions of the SiO2 layer. The formation mechanism of Si nanoparticles and the transformation mechanism of n-butyl terminated Si nanoparticles embedded into Si1−xCx nanocomposites mixed with Si nanoparticles and C atoms are described on the basis of the TEM, HRTEM, and AFM results. These results can help to improve the understanding of the formation mechanism of Si nanoparticles.