Discovery of Naturally Occurring Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphitic Carbon on the Far Side of the Moon

LetterDecember 29, 2025

Discovery of Naturally Occurring Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphitic Carbon on the Far Side of the Moon
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*
Wei Zhang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
*Email: [email protected]
Zizhun Wang
Zizhun Wang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Fuxi Liu
Fuxi Liu
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Xiujuan Li*
Xiujuan Li
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
*Email: [email protected]
Xinyan Zhou
Xinyan Zhou
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Zhenzhen Zhao
Zhenzhen Zhao
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Yuhua Liu
Yuhua Liu
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Qing Liang
Qing Liang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Binbin Yang
Binbin Yang
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Zhen Chen
Zhen Chen
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
Shiyao Gao
Shiyao Gao
Synergetic Extreme Condition High-Pressure Science Center, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Meiqi Liu
Meiqi Liu
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Xinyang Li
Xinyang Li
Synergetic Extreme Condition High-Pressure Science Center, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Qiang Zhou
Qiang Zhou
Synergetic Extreme Condition High-Pressure Science Center, State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Weitao Zheng
Weitao Zheng
Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Electron Microscopy Center, International Center of Future Science, Changbaishan Laboratory, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Meng Zou*
Meng Zou
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
*Email: [email protected]

Nano Letters

Cite this: Nano Lett. 2026, 26, 2

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Published December 29, 2025

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Abstract

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Multidisciplinary efforts to catalogue the existence of elements and their material forms remain ongoing, particularly for carbon, which is abundant in several forms, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and diamond. This study presents the first identification of graphitic carbon in lunar samples taken by Chang’E-6 (CE-6) mission from the far side of the Moon, which was observed through multiple spectroscopy and microscopy techniques at identical locations. Although CNTs have been predominantly assumed to require artificial preparation, the study findings demonstrate that these materials exist in nature. Specifically, single-walled CNTs were identified in the CE-6 lunar samples, which were formed through micrometeorite impacts and an Fe-driven catalysis process under early volcanic activities and solar wind irradiation on the lunar surface. These findings, together with previously reported natural few-layered graphene on the Moon’s near side, may inspire a paradigm shift in carbon science and offer new pathways for designing Human-fabricated novel and emerging materials.

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Supporting Information

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The Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c05812.

Materials and methods, micro-Raman spectra, correlative SEM-Raman spectra, and HRTEM images (PDF)

nl5c05812_si_001.pdf (1.67 MB)

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Cited By

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This article is cited by 1 publications.

Xinyan Zhou, Sifan Qiao, Zhenzhen Zhao, Kaiyu Yang, Xiujuan Li, Meng Zou, Wei Zhang. Revealing Space Weathering of the Moon Farside via Soft X-ray Emission Spectroscopy. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2026, 17 (2) , 630-634. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c03563

Nano Letters

Cite this: Nano Lett. 2026, 26, 2

Click to copy citationCitation copied!

Published December 29, 2025

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