The discovery of quasi-nanometer needle-like graphite and its structural characteristics

One sort of long needle mineral with 12500nm length and 150nm width was discovered in ball-like graphite from Sujiquan granite, Xinjiang, China. Analysis by X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (XEDS) attached to a high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) shows that it is composed of carbon. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) illustrates that its crystal structure is 2H type graphite. Thus, this mineral can be confirmed as quasi-nanometer needle graphite because its width of 150nm is only slightly larger than the 100nm nanometer scale limit. Its rim is straight as are the fringes of the crystal planes. This quasi nanometer needle graphite should have outstanding mechanical characteristics.