Self-Assembled Carbon Nanostructures in Nickel Containing Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Matrix by One-Step Electrodeposition

Carbon nanostructures incorporated hydrogenated amorphous carbon matrix composite was facilely assembled by the electrolysis of a methanol solution of nickel pentanedionate at ambient atmosphere pressure. Results confirmed that, nickel grains were embedded in amorphous carbon matrix forming nanocrystallite/amorphous composite structure, meanwhile fiber-like carbon were interconnected and dispersed in nickel containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon matrix. The growth mechanism of the as-deposited nanocomposite film mainly involved fiber-like carbon growing onto an enriched nickel template at the un-equilibrium micro-zone around the cathodic substrate during the electrochemical process.