Synthesis and characterization of ultra-long straight carbon wires

• The carbon wires have large size with 2.6 µm in diameter and more than 1 cm in length.
• The carbon wires with multilayer structure characterized by SEM and TEM.
• Raman spectrum shows two distinct Raman peaks of carbon materials.
• The carbon wires with typical resistance and can be served as micro electrode.

Ultra-long straight carbon wires with few microns in diameter and centimeters in length were synthesized in large scale through a controllable one-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The ratio of axial length to diameter more than 1000:1. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images prove the layered structure surrounding the wire center, and the energy dispersive spectra (EDS) confirm the main component of the as-obtained carbon wires is carbon. Room temperature Raman spectrum presents two distinct Raman peaks of 1351 cm−1 (D band) and 1586 cm−1(G band), which is consistent with carbon crystalline structures. I-V curves exhibit typical resistance characteristic, which can be used as electronic polar or mechanic probe to operate nanostructures.