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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Simultaneous Synthesis of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene in a Magnetically-enhanced Arc Plasma
Published on: February 2, 2012
Graphene nanoribbons obtained by electrically unwrapping carbon nanotubes
Kwanpyo Kim1, Allen Sussman, A Zettl
1Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems, University of California at Berkeley, Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Abstract:
We describe a clean method of graphene nanoribbon (GNR) extraction from multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), performed in a high vacuum, nonchemical environment. Electrical current and nanomanipulation are used to unwrap a portion of the MWNT and thus produce a GNR of desired width and length. The unwrapping method allows GNRs to be concurrently characterized structurally via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and evaluated for electrical transport, including situations for which the GNR is severely mechanically flexed. High quality GNRs have exceptional current-carrying capacity, comparable to the exfoliated graphene.
