▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Production of nano-structures comprises providing a graphite flake comprising graphene layers and intercalating the graphite flake to form a graphite intercalation compound exhibiting intercalation. The exfoliating the graphite intercalation compound under conditions so that many individual graphene layers is separated from the graphite intercalation compound. They have remarkable tensile strength and exhibit varying electrical properties e.g. superconducting, insulating, semi-conducting, conducting, etc. depending on their helicity and are thus utilizable as nanoscale wires and electrical components. The electrical conductivity is as high or higher than copper, thermal conductivity as high as diamond, and the tensile strength of these structures can be 102 times greater than steel, leading to structures that have uses in space and that are believed to have applications as diverse as the formation of field-effect transistors and nano-motors. USE - The process is useful for producing nano-structures, e.g. nano-tubes, Buckminster fullerenes, natural graphite starting materials and nano-scale plates. ADVANTAGE - The process: is capable of producing commercial quantities of nano-scale structures; provides nano-scale structures from natural graphite flakes; does not require the use of exotic equipment or extreme process parameters; improves production yield; is environmentally friendly; and is economical. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of nano-structures comprises providing a graphite flake comprising graphene layers and intercalating the graphite flake to form a graphite intercalation compound exhibiting intercalation. The exfoliating the graphite intercalation compound under conditions so that many individual graphene layers is separated from the graphite intercalation compound. They have remarkable tensile strength and exhibit varying electrical properties e.g. superconducting, insulating, semi-conducting, conducting, etc. depending on their helicity and are thus utilizable as nanoscale wires and electrical components. The electrical conductivity is as high or higher than copper, thermal conductivity as high as diamond, and the tensile strength of these structures can be 102 times greater than steel, leading to structures that have uses in space and that are believed to have applications as diverse as the formation of field-effect transistors and nano-motors. The nano-tubes and other nano-scale structures can be the solution to the hydrogen storage issues bedeviling the nascent hydrogen fuel cell industry since hydrogen can be adsorbed on their surface.