1.0. Introduction
New strategies are needed to process and synthesize carbon materials. Characterizations and analyses of carbon materials can also help to explore new science at both the primary and applied levels. The forces exerted at the electron level should also explain the role of energy at the electron level, which is discussed in preliminary detail [
1,
2,
3]. When structural formation in carbon atoms involves partial conservative energy at the electron level, there is also the engagement of partially conserved forces at the electron level. This can also be the case for the structural formation of graphite, nanotubes, and fullerene atoms.
However, in the structural formation of carbon atoms where the non-conserved energy is at the electron level, the non-conserved forces should also engage at the electron level.
Forces and energy can contribute together at the atomic level when a suitable state of carbon atoms amalgamates under attained dynamics. This can occur for graphite atoms when studying a two-dimensional or amorphous structure. The involvement of the energy at the electron level directs the forces to engage at the electron level. As a result, atoms bind to study their nanoscale or micro-sized grains. The outer ring electrons of carbons maintain a very close distance from the centers of their atoms. Overall, the nature of the involved energy should depend on the specific state of the carbon atom. In the literature, several studies have discussed the allotropic forms of carbon.
When conservative forces exist, an electron in a silicon atom executes uninterrupted dynamics to generate a photon of unending length [
2]. This indicates that the built-in interstate gap of electron dynamics in the carbon atom differs from that in silicon. Both carbon and silicon atoms possess equal numbers of filled and unfilled states in the outer ring. However, the outer ring electrons of carbon and silicon maintain different distances from their atomic centers.
Gaseous and solid atoms deal with the transitions while undertaking the liquid state, where the electrons remain within the occupied energy knots [
3]. The structures evolve in those atoms that execute confined interstate electron dynamics, as discussed elsewhere [
4]. Atoms do not form ions [
5]. The carbon film deposited in tiny grains is due to the synthetic protocol [
6]. Carbon films with different morphologies were deposited under various process conditions [
7].
At different chamber pressures, the deposited carbon films exhibit different morphologies and structures [
8]. At different interwire distances, a carbon film was deposited in the diamond and graphitic phases [
9]. This means that the electron transfer mechanism involves changing the chemical nature of an atom regardless of whether it belongs to the same element. The force entering from the north pole and leaving the ground surface for the south pole behaves differently than the forces exerted at the ground surface [
10]. A recent study showed the transformation of graphene film into a diamond-like carbon film, where the elastic deformations and chemical natures were changed [
11]. Wu et al. [
12] reviewed the developments in Raman spectroscopy of graphene materials.
In the vapor deposition method, carbon nanofibers grow without a catalyst [
13]. Different applications related to graphene hybrids have been reviewed [
14]. Nitrogen-incorporated carbon dots were merged to modify a glassy carbon electrode [
15]. A novel energy dissipation system was investigated by gathering the features of both carbon nanotubes and fullerenes [
16]. Different carbon allotropes, in comparison, were studied for temperature dehydrogenation [
17].
The exact position of the vacancies in a diamond crystal was also studied [
18]. Liu et al. [
19] presented an efficient strategy for fabricating a graphite-graphene Janus architecture. Some parameters under the optimized conditions of the process chosen to deposit the diamond [
20]. Cheng and Zong [
21] observed the structural evolution of damaged carbon atoms in a deep surface layer. Maruyama and Okada [
22] investigated the electronic and magnetic structures of a two-dimensional network of carbon atoms. Narjabadifam et al. [
23] studied carbon nanocones through molecular dynamics simulation. Levitated nanodiamonds burn in the air because of amorphous carbon [
24]. The uncertainty in the temperature measurements of levitated nanodiamonds was removed [
25].
Heat treatment improves the mechanical properties of carbon films deposited by magnetron sputtering [
26]. A deposited carbon nanotube film shows enhanced electrode stability [
27]. Carbon films are deposited in a pulse-based CVD system to improve tribological properties [
28]. The electronic states of carbon-based materials control covalent bonding [
29]. The relationships among the different parameters used for depositing carbon films have been discussed separately [
30]. High negative bias voltages reduce the hydrogen content in deposited carbon films [
31]. Carbon films deposited with an enhanced thickness are not beneficial for all purposes [
32]. One study discussed the structure of carbon films deposited by the sputtering method [
33]. The graphitic phase of deposited carbon films reduces the friction coefficient in a vacuum medium [
34]. Carbon films have a decreased hydrogen content deposited by tuning the ratio of the graphitic and diamond phases [
35].
The hardness of a single-walled carbon nanotube has been discussed separately [
36]. Carbon nanotubes deposited by the floating catalyst CVD technique have potential applications [
37]. Carbon nanotube films exhibit high thermal conductivity [
38]. A recent study suggested the photochemical conversion of the graphitic phase into the diamond phase [
39]. In the deposition of diamond-like carbon, the sp
2 carbon or graphitic phase increases due to the introduction of titanium [
40]. In deposited carbon films by HF-CVD, a structural and electrical relationship is established between amorphous carbon and graphene [
41]. A recent study investigated porous carbon films for efficient electromagnetic applications [
42]. Electrochemical sensor applications have been studied in vertical mesoporous carbon films [
43]. The thermal stability and diffusion characteristics of ultrathin amorphous carbon films were investigated [
44].
These studies and the ones not cited raise some fundamental questions. How do the different allotropes of carbon form? How do the same-state carbon atoms bind in the formation of a structure? How do energy and forces behave to convert one atomic state to another state? How do they function in the binding of same-state atoms in different carbon allotropes? How the structural formation of glassy carbon occurs is also relevant? Different carbon-based materials also discuss their hardness with new insight.
4.0. Structural formations in different state carbon atoms
Graphite material is famous for its layered or two-dimensional structure. As widely reported in the literature, carbon atoms in graphitic materials exhibit a sp2 hybridized state. An amorphous structure occurs when the arrangement of graphite atoms is not in order. A nanotube structure is famous for being a one-dimensional structure. In fullerene, a buckyball or cage-like structure results.
Diamonds are famous for their tetrahedral structure. In the diamond structure, the diamond atoms exhibit a sp3 hybridized configuration. A honeycomb-like structure is present in graphene. A glassy carbon is also known as a turbostratic structure. Lonsdaleite has a hexagonal structure. According to the published literature and because of differing opinions, there is additional information on the structures of carbon allotropes.
As discussed in the following sections, carbon atoms in the same state bind by studying the details of forces and energy at the electron level, except in the two-dimensional and amorphous structure of graphite. Furthermore, the structures of different carbon allotropes under electron dynamics have not been determined in the literature.
Earlier studies refer to only two-dimensional and amorphous structures of graphite, where the details of forces and energy at the atomic level are missing. Structural formation in graphite has also not yet been studied due to the electron dynamics of the atoms.
4.1. Structures of graphite atoms
In the literature, there are many studies on graphite structures. However, there is no difference in terms of the type of graphite structure. A graphite structure can be of three types. The type of graphite structure initially depends on the system’s limitations and processing parameters. When there is a graphite structure under the electron dynamics of atoms, it is a one-dimensional structure. Sub-section 4.1.1 discusses this.
The amalgamation of graphite atoms under uniform dynamics results in a two-dimensional structure. Sub-section 4.1.2 discusses this. When the amalgamation of graphite atoms occurs under non-uniform dynamics, an amorphous graphite structure is formed (or developed). Sub-section 4.1.3 discusses this.
4.1.1. Graphite structure under the electron dynamics of atoms
This section includes the graphite structural formation by the electron dynamics of the atoms.
Figure 2 (a) shows the binding of the carbon atoms when in the graphite state. A carbon atom first converts into a graphite state before binding. Atom A binds to atom B by involving the dash-shaped energy of two bits.
A gaseous carbon atom is converted into a graphite state by involving the energy of two bits, as shown for each atom in
Figure 2 (a). In
Figure 2 (a), Atom C binds to Atom A from the opposite end by involving the dash-shaped energy of two bits. The forces exerted on each transferring electron remain in the partial conservative mode.
Figure 2 (a) shows only the nucleation stage of the graphite. Further binding should be considered when studying the growth process of a graphite structure.
Under electron dynamics, a graphite structure should grow in one dimension. The binding graphite atoms can be from both X-axes. However, the electrons of the bound atoms are oriented along the same line, which is an adjacent orientation. The forces exerted on the electrons from the north-south poles are almost balanced. In tiny-grain carbon films, the atoms of arrays elongate and convert into smooth element structures [
6].
The nucleated structure of graphite grows by further binding of graphite atoms.
Figure 2 (a) also shows the layer of the graphite structure from the rear side. The dash-shaped energy bits are involved in binding the graphite state atoms. Graphite atoms bind under the same dash-shaped energy bits that are involved in transferring electrons to attain their states.
To transfer electrons from the left and right sides of the gaseous carbon atom while attaining the graphitic state, the potentials of the transferring electrons (from the upper states to lower states) increase. The transferring electrons maintain potential variation at the same level on both sides of the carbon atom. Thus, that atom maintains equilibrium during the conversion. To convert from a graphitic state to a gaseous state, transferred electrons change the potentials in an equalized manner [
45]. A study given elsewhere [
46] reported that a diamond structure changed to a graphite structure after laser irradiation.
4.1.2. Graphite structure under the attained dynamics of atoms
Graphite-state atoms first amalgamate under uniform dynamics to study a 2D structure. This means that carbon atoms do not execute electron dynamics during amalgamation. Therefore, energy bits shaped like dashes do not involve binding the graphite state atoms. A slight difference in the forces remains along the east and west poles of just amalgamated graphite state atoms.
A slight difference in the forces between graphite atoms keeps them binding as they were amalgamated only under the attained dynamics, which is shown in the arrays labeled (1), (2), and (3) in
Figure 2 (b). Therefore, weak energy also remains in the binding of graphite atoms. Graphite atoms naturally follow two dimensions.
The forces and energy found among graphite atoms bind them from the east-west or west-east sides. However, further research is needed.
Forces and energy at the atomic level introduce weak application potential to preserve the graphite structure. Due to the same dynamics of the graphite atoms, they bind under uniform forces and energy. When the force energy is combined, there is a two-dimensional structure. This is the graphite structure when atoms do not execute electron dynamics during binding.
4.1.3. Amorphous graphite structure
An amorphous graphite structure occurs when the amalgamation of graphite atoms occurs under non-uniformly attained dynamics. The atoms are not positioned exactly from the east-west or west-east sides.
Figure 2 (c) shows that the graphite atoms bind under non-uniformly attained dynamics where weak energy and forces also contribute. However, their contributions are non-uniform.
Graphitic atoms can also be used to study amorphous carbon structures when the ground surface is not flat. Due to the non-uniform amalgamation of graphite state atoms, the contributions of the forces and energy are non-uniform.
Due to the non-uniform dynamics of the graphite state atoms, an amorphous graphite structure is the case. Amalgamated graphite atoms also bind under non-uniform forces and energy. However, additional work is required to understand the complete picture.
The amalgamation of graphite atoms occurs under non-uniform dynamics. However, weak forces and energy contribute together non-uniformly. The atomic arrangement in amorphous carbon is a continuous random network, as discussed elsewhere [
47].
4.4. Lonsdaleite and graphene structures
The ground point at which the carbon atom is in a lonsdaleite state is slightly below the ground surface, as it exists below the ground point at which the graphite atom exists. Electrons in the lonsdaleite state maintain lower potential energy than electrons in the diamond state. Hence, the energy knots shaping the lattice of an atom are less stretchable. The lonsdaleite state atom is less expanded than the diamond state atom. Some historical facts about the lonsdaleite structure and its study under conventional insight are given elsewhere [
56]. The lonsdaleite state atom also experiences non-conservative forces for two electrons with the involvement of non-conserved energy. Lonsdaleite atoms bind from east-west to slightly south, but their growth progresses from slightly south to surface (east-west). However, further studies are required to obtain better insight into this topic.
The single sheets of graphite are graphene, for which a detailed study is given elsewhere [
57]. Under new insight, the ground point of the graphene state atom lies just above the ground surface. The binding of graphene atoms occurs through forces mainly at the surface and in space formats at the electron level. Therefore, the growth of the graphene structure occurs in the reverse manner as that of the diamond structure.
The involved energy and engaged forces at the electron level for the graphene state atoms function in a non-conserved manner. The growth of graphene occurs from the surface to the north. Principally, graphene atoms should grow with a topological structure. Adherence to only a few layers in the graphene structure is possible due to the limitations of the forces exerted on the electrons in the surface and space formats. However, additional work is needed.
5.0. Estimated hardness of carbon-based materials at the Mohs scale
Figure 6 shows the hardness of the different carbon-based materials at the Mohs scale. Gaseous carbon maintains zero hardness at the Mohs scale. The plotted hardness in
Figure 6 relies on the extracted data from published studies. However, the hardness of any carbon material depends on the details of chemical energy and forces. As graphite, nanotube, and fullerene structures maintain partially conserved energy and force details, they can exhibit average hardness. On the other hand, lonsdaleite, graphene, and glassy carbon structures maintain non-conserved energy and force details. Therefore, these structures maintain high hardness.
The extra high hardness of graphene and diamond structures is due to the involvement of golf-stick-shaped energy bits. In these materials, all oriented electrons of an outer ring undertake additional clamping of positioned energy knots by engaging non-conservative forces.
The high hardness of lonsdaleite and glassy carbon structures is also due to the involvement of golf-stick-shaped energy bits. However, in these materials, not all oriented electrons of an outer ring undertake additional clamping of positioned energy knots by engaging non-conservative forces. The hardness model shown in
Figure 6 provides new insight into all kinds of carbon materials.
The hardness of carbon films depends on the nature of the forces and the kind of energy. Pieces of evidence from the published literature and the presented details also support the model.
The published data on hardness do not consider the details related to chemical energy and forces discussed here. Therefore, there is an actual need to re-investigate the hardness of different carbon-based materials. A recent study evaluated the hardness of diamond films by nanoindentation [
60]. Another study discussed the full-scale structures of diamond and graphite phases in deposited carbon films and their hybrid application [
61].
There is a need to investigate carbon films from the beginning. The hardness of different carbon-based materials also depends on the details of the forces and energy. These details can be found in the context of chemistry. Thus, all sorts of depositions and syntheses need to be re-visited.
6.0. Conclusion
Electrons are transferred from filled to nearby unfilled states during the state conversion of a carbon atom. A carbon atom converts from one state to another, where two dash-shaped energy bits are involved. The carbon atom maintains an equilibrium state during the electron transfer mechanism. The structure is one-dimensional when atoms in the graphite state execute electron dynamics. A structure is two-dimensional when graphite atoms bind under uniformly attained dynamics. Here, energy and forces contribute uniformly at the atomic level.
Atoms in the graphite state bind into a two-dimensional structure under weak forces and energy. The amorphous graphite structure is due to non-uniform energy and force contributions at the atomic level. The structural formation of nanotube atoms is two-dimensional under suitable electrons. In fullerene state atoms, the structure is four-dimensional. In fullerene, all four outer ring electrons of the atoms execute dynamics. In the structural formation of graphite in one dimension, nanotubes, and fullerenes, bits of partially conserved energy with a dashed shape are involved at the electron level by engaging the partially conserved forces.
Each outer ring electron of a depositing diamond atom undertakes an additional clamp of each outer ring energy knot of the deposited diamond atom. A bit of energy shaped like a golf stick involves transferring the electron nearly up to half-length to another energy knot. The binding of the diamond atoms occurs from the surface (east-west) to the south. The growth is from the south to the east-west. It has a tetra-electron topological structure. The binding of the lonsdaleite atoms occurs from the surface (east-west) to the slightly southern region, so the growth occurs from slightly south to east-west. It has a bi-electron topological structure.
In a glassy carbon structure, layers of gaseous, graphitic, and lonsdaleite atoms repeat in the same order. In glassy carbon, the orientated outer ring electrons of the gaseous and lonsdaleite atoms undergo additional clamping of the positioned energy knots (of the outer ring) of the graphite state atoms. In diamond, lonsdaleite, graphene, and glassy carbon structures, bits of non-conserved energy are involved at the electron level by engaging non-conserved forces. The hardness of carbon materials relates to the energy and force behaviors at the electronic level. The study of carbon atoms and their binding into structures opens new fields.
Figure 1.
(a) Lattice of a carbon atom. The atomic structure of the carbon atom in the (b) gaseous state, (c) graphitic state, (d) nanotube state, (e) fullerene state, (f) diamond state, (g) lonsdaleite state, (h) graphene state, and (i) electron transfer state (red circles indicate filled states and white circles indicate unfilled states).
Figure 1.
(a) Lattice of a carbon atom. The atomic structure of the carbon atom in the (b) gaseous state, (c) graphitic state, (d) nanotube state, (e) fullerene state, (f) diamond state, (g) lonsdaleite state, (h) graphene state, and (i) electron transfer state (red circles indicate filled states and white circles indicate unfilled states).
Figure 2.
(a) Formation of a graphite structure under interstate electron dynamics: (1) unfilled state of a transferred electron, (2) involved dash-shaped energy bit, (b) formation of a graphite structure when weak energy contributes to the uniformly attained dynamics of graphite atoms, and (c) amorphous graphite structure when weak energy contributes to the non-uniformly attained dynamics of graphite atoms.
Figure 2.
(a) Formation of a graphite structure under interstate electron dynamics: (1) unfilled state of a transferred electron, (2) involved dash-shaped energy bit, (b) formation of a graphite structure when weak energy contributes to the uniformly attained dynamics of graphite atoms, and (c) amorphous graphite structure when weak energy contributes to the non-uniformly attained dynamics of graphite atoms.
Figure 3.
(a) nanotubes with different structures and (b) different fullerene or buckyball structures.
Figure 3.
(a) nanotubes with different structures and (b) different fullerene or buckyball structures.
Figure 4.
(a) Lonsdaleite atom conversion into a diamond atom: (1) east-west poles, (2) ground point of a lonsdaleite atom, (3) expected binding point of two diamond atoms, and (4) ground point of a deposited diamond atom. (b) Binding of a depositing diamond atom with the deposited diamond atom: (1) zeroth ring of a deposited diamond atom, (2) outer ring of a deposited diamond atom, (3) substrate, (4) positioned outer ring energy knots of a deposited diamond atom, (5) involved golf-stick-shaped energy at the electron level, and (6) oriented outer ring electrons of a depositing diamond atom. (c) Growth: (1) diamond growth south to east-west and (2) embedded electrons of a deposited diamond atom.
Figure 4.
(a) Lonsdaleite atom conversion into a diamond atom: (1) east-west poles, (2) ground point of a lonsdaleite atom, (3) expected binding point of two diamond atoms, and (4) ground point of a deposited diamond atom. (b) Binding of a depositing diamond atom with the deposited diamond atom: (1) zeroth ring of a deposited diamond atom, (2) outer ring of a deposited diamond atom, (3) substrate, (4) positioned outer ring energy knots of a deposited diamond atom, (5) involved golf-stick-shaped energy at the electron level, and (6) oriented outer ring electrons of a depositing diamond atom. (c) Growth: (1) diamond growth south to east-west and (2) embedded electrons of a deposited diamond atom.
Figure 5.
Formation of a glassy carbon structure where layers of gaseous carbon atoms, graphitic state atoms, and lonsdaleite state atoms bind successively.
Figure 5.
Formation of a glassy carbon structure where layers of gaseous carbon atoms, graphitic state atoms, and lonsdaleite state atoms bind successively.
Figure 6.
Plots of Mohs hardness and different carbon structures: (1) levitational force at the electron level, (2) graphene, (3) increasing levitational force, (4) gaseous carbon, (5) graphite, (6) increasing gravitational force, (7) diamond, (8) lonsdaleite, (9) fullerene, (10) maximum gravitational force, (11) nanotube, and (12) maximum levitational force.
Figure 6.
Plots of Mohs hardness and different carbon structures: (1) levitational force at the electron level, (2) graphene, (3) increasing levitational force, (4) gaseous carbon, (5) graphite, (6) increasing gravitational force, (7) diamond, (8) lonsdaleite, (9) fullerene, (10) maximum gravitational force, (11) nanotube, and (12) maximum levitational force.