Instantaneous formation of covalently bonded diamond–graphite–graphene with synergistic properties

Diamond and graphene are the most widely used carbon allotropes and offer great potential for developing mechanical, electronic, energy-storage, and sensor applications. Their combination, especially interfacial covalent bonding, can impart excellent properties. However, achieving interfacial covalent bonding with superior performance using flexible and low-power strategies remains challenging. This study developed a novel instantaneous transformation method from diamond to graphene to prepare a new covalent structure of diamond–nano-graphite–graphene (CDGG). That is, a nanosecond-pulse laser induces sp³-to-sp² instantaneous transformations from diamond to graphite in air, and the subsequent mechanical cleavage overcomes the weak van der Waals forces to achieve the final transformation of graphite to graphene. First, the key factors influencing laser-induced graphitization and mechanical cleavage were investigated, and a covalent carbon structure with multidirectional graphene was obtained. Furthermore, the mechanisms encompassing the lattice transformation, interface relationships, transformation time, and interface bonding were elucidated. The obtained new structure synergized the excellent properties of diamond, nano-graphite, and graphene, exhibiting superior lubrication, mechanochemical wear resistance, durability, and load-capacity. Compared to polished diamond, the obtained structure exhibited a significant decrease in the stable coefficient of friction by 49–59 % and a reduction of more than one order of magnitude in the relative wear rate under high friction against ferrous metals with a normal load of 1–9 N. Even under a heavy load of 100 N, it still exhibited superior lubrication and mechanochemical wear resistance. Finally, the preparation and patterning of covalent carbon structures were achieved on various diamond surfaces with high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and low power. This study is expected to broaden the scope of developing and applying diamond, diamond films, and graphene devices.