Two semiconducting three-dimensional all-sp2 carbon allotropes

TL;DR

This study uses first-principles calculations to explore the stability and electronic properties of two novel 3D all-sp2 carbon allotropes, revealing their potential as semiconductors with unique applications.

Contribution

It reports the discovery and characterization of two new stable all-sp2 carbon allotropes, sp2-diamond and cubic-graphite, with unique electronic properties.

Findings

sp2-diamond is more stable than K4-carbon and T-carbon.

Cubic-graphite is more stable than superhard carbon allotropes.

Both structures are dynamically stable and are semiconductors.

Abstract

Using first-principles method, we investigate the energetic stability, dynamic stability and electronic properties of two three-dimensional (3D) all-sp2 carbon allotropes, sp2-diamond and cubic-graphite. The cubic-graphite was predicted by Michael O'Keeffe in 1992 (Phys. Rev. Lett., 68, 15, 1992.) possessing space group of Pn-3m (224), whereas the sp2-diamond with the space group Fd-3m (227) same as that of diamond has not been reported before. Our results indicate that sp2-diamond is more stable than previously proposed K4-carbon and T-carbon, and cubic-graphite is even more stable than superhard M-carbon, W-carbon and Z-carbon.The calculations on vibrational properties show that both structures are dynamically stable. Interestingly, both sp2-diamond and cubic-graphite behave as semiconductors which are contrary to previously proposed all-sp2 carbon allotropes. The sp2-diamond is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.66 eV, and cubic-graphite is an indirect semiconductor with band gap of 2.89 eV. The very lower densities and entirely sp2 configures of sp2-diamond and cubic-graphite can be potentially applied in hydrogen-storage, photocatalysts and molecular sieves.