Evidence of Ostwald ripening during evolution of micro-scale solid carbon spheres.

Ostwald ripening is an evolutionary mechanism that results in micro-scale carbon spheres from nano-scale spheres. Vapor-phase carbon elements from small carbon nanoparticles are transported to the surface of submicron-scale carbon spheres, eventually leading to their evolution to micro-scale spheres via well-known growth mechanisms, including the layer-by-layer, island, and mixed growth modes. The results obtained from this work will pave the way to the disclosure of the evolutionary mechanism of micro-scale carbon spheres and open a new avenue for practical applications.