To solve the following problem; carbon fibers are made of only carbon and expand in industrial application but lack in versatility achieved by making good use of atomic properties.
A spherical material of meso size can be formed around a carbon rod by causing arc discharge in a reduced-pressure atmosphere using He. Fine particle formation requires suitable conditions, and when arc discharge is caused in a reactive gas comprising 20-40 kPa of helium and 0-20 kPa of the air, no CNT grows and a spherical material of several hundred nm to several μm is formed. Fine particles of meso size comprising not only carbon but a plurality of elements can be obtained by incorporating other elements into a second electrode material or introducing gases of other elements into a vacuum chamber during arc discharge.
YAMASHITA YOJI
INAMI KAZUNORI
KATO HIROYUKI
