The influence of dilution gases on multilayer graphene formation in laser pyrolysis

The work presents the structure and morphology of multilayer graphene formed as components of carbon nanoparticles synthesized by the laser pyrolysis technique. Low aggregated carbon nanoparticles with dimensions between 12 and 33 nm, which present a structured surface with multilayer graphene were synthesized from a C2H2/SF6 gas mixture with different dilution gases. The longest multi-graphene sheets were obtained for a C/F = 3 atomic ratio and when N2O was used as dilution gas. The obtained carbon nanoparticles present electrical conductivity values comparable with those of multi-wall CNTs, but lower than those of single-wall CNTs.