High-temperature-induced growth of graphite whiskers from fullerene waste soot

Helical graphite whiskers (GWs) have been synthesized from fullerene waste soot, which is a byproduct in fullerene production by arc discharge technique, at 2600 °C for 1 h with Ar gas flow at 760 Torr. The as-synthesized GWs consisting of graphite layers with some disclination possess various kinds of morphological structures with loop-like brims and arch-shaped protrusion on their surfaces, as observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The GWs show strong intensity of 2D peak in Raman spectra, which could be attributed to disclination in the whiskers.