Chang'e 6 lunar samples discovered natural single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphite carbon for the first time.

On January 20, it was learned from the China National Space Administration that a research team from Jilin University recently conducted a systematic analysis of lunar soil samples from the Chang'e 6 mission. For the first time internationally, they discovered and confirmed the natural formation of single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphite carbon, revealing the fine details of the "high-energy physics-chemical processes" on the moon's surface. This confirms that geological activity on the far side of the moon is more active, providing crucial data for studying the evolution of the moon. This study comprehensively used a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to characterize the samples collected from the far side of the moon by Chang'e 6. They identified graphite carbon for the first time and traced its possible formation and evolution processes. They also confirmed for the first time internationally the existence of single-walled carbon nanotubes that were naturally formed without human intervention. The research indicates that the formation of these carbon nanotubes may be closely related to iron-catalyzed processes under the combined effects of micro meteorite impacts, volcanic activity, and solar wind radiation in the moon's history, demonstrating nature's ability to synthesize key materials under extreme conditions. By comparing the samples from the far side of the moon collected by Chang'e 6 with the samples from the near side collected by Chang'e 5, the research team also found that the carbon structures in the Chang'e 6 samples had more obvious defect characteristics, which may be related to the stronger history of micro meteorite impacts experienced by the far side of the moon. This discovery also reveals new asymmetries in material composition and evolution processes between the near and far sides of the moon. This is another important discovery by the research team at Jilin University after they found few-layer graphene in the Chang'e 5 lunar samples. The related research results were recently published in the academic journal "Nanotechnology Express."