Laser-induced carbon nanostructures

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a carbon nanostructure, such as a carbon foam material, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: (a) using a first laser beam to irradiate an encapsulated or sub-surface region of a carbon pre-cursor material below a surface of the material, to create carbon foam in that sub-surface region, and a disorganised, amorphous non-graphene material above the carbon foam, and then (b) using a second laser beam to remove or ablate the disorganised, amorphous non-graphene material sitting above the carbon foam, to expose at least some of the carbon foam. The resultant carbon foam material shows a significant D peak; the 2D peak is significantly less than the G peak; and the peak D:peak G ratio is significantly above zero. In appearance and Raman signature, it appears similar to a carbon nano-onion material. It can be used in biosensors, supercapacitors and pseudo-capacitors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.