Phase transition and restructuring of carbon nanoparticles induced by aerosol laser irradiation

We recently reported that laser irradiation of aerosol amorphous carbon nanoparticles induces formation of onion-like carbon structures. In this study, the further analyses of laser induced phase transitions and restructuring of aerosol carbon nanoparticles were carried out using the combination of off-line and in-flight measurement techniques. Laser-synthesized carbon agglomerates composed of 7-nm amorphous primary nanoparticles were used as starting materials. Irradiation of multiple laser shots to the gas-suspended carbon agglomerates resulted in the formation of variety of unique structures, such as diamond-like, defective graphite, concentric shell structures, and their agglomerates. Evolutions of the carbon nanostructures were found to be responsible for the in-flight mass-to-mobility spectra.