Disordering of graphene nanoplatelet, carbon nanotube and C60 fullerene under shear stress

Carbon nanomaterials typically possess excellent mechanical properties, enabling them to withstand extreme physical environments. However, the response of different nanostructures under shear stress has not yet been experimentally investigated. In this study, we employ the rotational diamond anvil cell to apply pressure and shear to three carbon nanomaterials–graphene nanoplatelet, multi-wall carbon nanotube and C₆₀ fullerene–and investigate their structure evolution using Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Detailed analysis revealed that the materials exhibit distinct changes in their intrinsic structure. Specifically, defects and lattice distortion were introduced into graphene nanoplatelet, carbon nanotube broke down into curly graphene fragments, and C₆₀ completely transformed into amorphous carbon. The most compelling discovery is the remarkably high degree of amorphization process in C₆₀ at room temperature, accompanied by an sp³ hybridization fraction reaching 20.84 %. Our results underscore the profound impact of shear stress on the stability of carbon-based nanomaterials, provide new insights into their mechanical behavior and potential limitation in practical application, and offer a strategy for regulating these materials which have the strongest covalent bonds.