Nano-cubes Produced by Electric Arc Discharge and Their Compression Strength

Particles with a nanoscale cubic structure, termed nano-cubes, in addition to nanoscale ball-shaped structures (nano-balls) were produced by electric arc discharge with a carbon electrode containing silicon, oxygen, sodium, and fluorine. The nano-cubes have a crystalline structure similar to the nano-balls. Two types of nano-cubes were produced by the electric arc discharge, the first composed only of silicon, and the second containing silicon, oxygen, carbon, sodium and fluorine. The nano-cubes were subjected to compression strength tests by the application of a load to the nano-cubes inserted between two polished sample stages with nano-level surface roughness. The nano-cubes containing silicon, oxygen, carbon, sodium and fluorine collapsed on the aluminum alloy sample stage. On the other hand, the silicon nanocubes were buried in the titanium alloy sample stage.