Electron Optical Study of Basal Dislocations in Graphite

Abstract

Dislocations having a Burgers vector in the basal plane and lying in this plane, have been studied in graphite by the use of thin foil transmission electron microscopy. The dislocations are dissociated into ribbons consisting of two partials separated by a stacking fault. Specific models for these dislocations are presented. Hexagonal networks contain extended and contracted nodes. The presence of two types of stacking faults gives rise to singularities which are analyzed in terms of experimentally determined Burgers vectors. The dislocations and even the networks are very mobile along the basal plane. The stacking fault energy is determined as 3 to 5×10−2 ergs/cm2.