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Volume 40 Issue 9
Sep 2026
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Chinese Journal of High Pressure Physics  > 2026  >  40(9): 090105.
ZENG Zhidan. Structure and Properties of Glassy Carbon under High Pressure[J]. Chinese Journal of High Pressure Physics, 2026, 40(9): 090105. doi: 10.11858/gywlxb.20261114
Citation: ZENG Zhidan. Structure and Properties of Glassy Carbon under High Pressure[J]. Chinese Journal of High Pressure Physics, 2026, 40(9): 090105. doi: 10.11858/gywlxb.20261114
shu

Structure and Properties of Glassy Carbon under High Pressure

doi: 10.11858/gywlxb.20261114

  • Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203, China

  • Received Date: 12 Jun 2026
  • Rev Recd Date: 21 Jul 2026
    • Available Online: 28 Jul 2026
  • Issue Publish Date: 05 Sep 2026
    Abstract
  • Glassy carbon is a nearly fully sp2-bonded amorphous carbon allotrope. Its highly disordered atomic structure and isotropic nature make it an ideal model system for studying pressure-induced transitions in amorphous materials and a versatile precursor for the synthesis of novel amorphous carbon materials. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the structural transformations, property evolution, and transition mechanisms of glassy carbon under high-pressure and high-pressure-high-temperature (HPHT) conditions, as well as its emerging applications in high-pressure science. Experimental and theoretical studies have shown that glassy carbon undergoes a pressure-induced sp2 to sp3 bonding transition, forming a tetrahedral amorphous carbon phase with high transparency, electrical resistivity, strength, and bulk modulus. Although this high-pressure phase is not recoverable at ambient conditions, HPHT treatment can produce new amorphous carbon materials, including compressed glassy carbon and nearly fully sp3-bonded amorphous diamond. In addition, the unique nano-pore structure of glassy carbon and its pressure-induced permeability have enabled the development of nanostructured diamond capsules capable of preserving high-pressure phases at ambient conditions. This capability opens new opportunities for high-pressure research and for the practical utilization of high-pressure materials beyond the confines of high-pressure apparatus.

     

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