Low temperature synthesis of fibres composed of carbon–nickel nanoparticles in super-critical carbon dioxide

We show that fibres composed of carbon–nickel nanoparticles are self-assembled by mixing nickelocene and oxygen with super-critical carbon dioxide in a dc electric field. The fibres grow in the direction of the electric field and the growth rate increases with an increase in the strength of the electric field. We also irradiate the fibres with electron beams and find that crystallized nickel particles are captured by carbon particles. The present result suggests that a low temperature method of creating carbon–metal hybrid nanostructures may be developed by mixing metallocene and trigger molecules with super-critical fluids subjected to a dc electric field.