Formation and characterization of carbon–metal nano-contacts

Electrical contacts between iron nanoparticles and different sp2- and sp1-hybridized carbon nanomaterials are established in an in situ experiment in the transmission electron microscope. The starting material, consisting of FeO nanoparticles, is reduced in situ when contacted to graphitic carbon and by passing an electrical current. The remaining Fe particles form covalent bonds with the graphitic electrodes, thus allowing the extraction of different types of nanostructures by retracting one electrode. Graphene ribbons, nanotube-like objects, and monoatomic carbon chains are formed in such a technique that also allows the measurement of the electrical properties of the respective carbon nanostructures.