Progress in Q-carbon and related materials with extraordinary properties

• Main Authors: Jagdish Narayan, Anagh Bhaumik, Siddharth Gupta, Ariful Haque, Ritesh Sachan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2018-07-01
• Series: Materials Research Letters
• Subjects: Q-carbon; Q-BN; hardness; diamond microneedles; Raman spectroscopy
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21663831.2018.1458753

This paper summarizes our research related to Q-carbon and Q-BN and direct conversion of carbon into diamond and h-BN into c-BN. Synthesis and processing of these materials are accomplished by nanosecond laser melting and subsequent quenching of amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline h-BN. Depending upon the degree of undercooling, molten carbon (or h-BN) can be converted into Q-carbon (or Q-BN) or diamond (or c-BN). The primary focus here is on the outstanding properties of these materials, including hardness greater than diamond, ferromagnetism, p- and n-type doping, NV nanodiamonds, high-temperature superconductivity in B-doped Q-carbon, enhanced field emission, superhard composite coatings, and future applications. IMPACT STATEMENT This research represents a fundamental breakthrough in the direct conversion of carbon into diamond at ambient temperatures and pressures in the air and their extraordinary properties.