Hydrogen-induced phase transformations in nanostructured graphite made by controlled ball milling

The laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction methods were used for characterization of phase transformations induced in graphite during controlled reactive mechanical milling under hydrogen atmosphere. During milling for 100 h the crystalline structure of the graphite transformed to nanostructure and some unrecognized crystalline phases. The mass spectrometry method revealed a variety of carbon clusters as well as exotic hydrocarbon molecules in which hydrogen may exist as an atom or a molecule.