Structural and mechanical characterization of carbon nanocomposite film

A comparative study of carbon based films deposited by carbon arc, laser initiated carbon arc and laser ablation techniques is reported. Films deposited by conventional carbon arc and laser ablation belong to the tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) category. Those films prepared by a modified carbon arc and laser arc methods consist of a composite ta-C matrix with fullerenelike nanoparticles. These films are hard (45-55 GPa plastic hardness) and elastic (80-85 per cent elastic recovery).Most of the nanoparticles are in form of deformed or fragmented nanotubes and onions. PEELS and HRTEM analysis suggest that linking of neighbouring nanoparticles may be important in observed mechanical properties.