Amorphous hollow carbon spheres synthesized using radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

We report a method to synthesize amorphous hollow carbon spheres, with diameters ranging from 100 to 800 nm, which are dispersed among bent graphitized carbon nanotubes using radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition in mixed CH4/H2 gases. The products are characterized by techniques including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that MgO and Ni nanoparticles together with hydrogen play important roles in the formation of the spheres. A possible formation mechanism for the carbon composites has been proposed.