• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.236-241
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• 2015

Carbon-coated Ni, Cu and Sn nanocapsules were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a four-point probe device. All of these nanocapsules were prepared by an arc-discharge method, in which the bulk metals were evaporated under methane ($CH_4$) atmosphere. Three pure metals (Ni, Cu, Sn) were typically diverse in formation of the carbon encapsulated nanoparticles and their different mechanisms were investigated. It was indicated that a thick carbon layers formed on the surface of Ni(C) nanocapsules, whereas a thin shell of carbon with 1~2 layers covered on Cu(C) nanocapsules, and the Sn(C) nanocapsules was, in fact, a longger multi-walled carbon nanotubes partially-filled with metal Sn. As one typical magnetic/dielectric nanocomposite particles, Ni(C) nanocapsules and its counterpart of oxide-coated Ni(O) nanocapsules were compared in the electrically conductive behaviors for further applications as the electromagnetic materials.