Scientific publications

Natural nanocarbon from shungite can be used to produce thin conductive films needed in optical devices, in semiconductor technologies and electrochemical applications, in wear-resistant coatings of hard disks. This paper describes the properties of thin films obtained from natural shungite nanocarbon by sublimation in the vacuum on glass substrates coated with conductive thin coatings (In₂O₃, ITO, ZnO). The thickness and homogeneity of the resulting carbon films were evaluated using a laser 3D microscope. The microstructure and morphology of the films were monitored by scanning electron microscopy and the Raman scattering method. The dependence of the structure of the film on the composition of the conductive coatings placed on the substrate was revealed. On quartz glass with In₂O₃ film coating, carbon nanoparticles formed two-dimensional films on In₂O₃ grains and three-dimensional mesh networks in the inter-grain space. The carbon film on structured quartz glass with ZnO formed a more uniform surface and coating density. NaCl microcrystals coated with a nanocarbon film were detected on a substrate with ITO by microprobe analysis. A two-dimensional film was isolated by dissolving NaCl crystals. Comparison of the Raman spectra of the carbon films deposited on the substrates with the conductive contacts with the spectrum of the original shungite powder confirmed the graphene-like structure of shungite carbon, previously described for nanoparticle dispersions.