"Compressed graphite" formed during C60 to diamond transformation as revealed by scattering computed tomography.

The collapsing of C60 into polycrystalline diamond has been studied after nonhydrostatic pressurization at ambient temperature using x-ray scattering computed tomography. Using this selective structural probe we provide evidence of concentric coexistence of "compressed graphite" (d(00l)∼3.09-3.11  Å), sp2-graphitelike phase (d(00l)∼3.35-3.42  Å), and sp3-like amorphous carbon surrounding polycrystalline diamond (a∼3.56-3.59  Å). The so-called "compressed graphite" exhibits a collapsed c axis and is textured with disordered layers. This latter phase is better described as a short interlayered carbon phase with buckled sp2-sp3 layers with possible interlayer bonding. Additionally, our 3D maps of phase distribution and of the residual stress retained in the polycrystalline diamond phase support the importance of stressed synthesis conditions for diamond formation.