A method is presented for the production of carbon nanomaterials from carbon dioxide in a low temperature process. In this method, carbon dioxide is irradiated with an ultraviolet laser at the conditions of critical opalescence where light is scattered and absorbed. Spherical carbon nanoparticles are obtained under these conditions on metal substrates without any additional catalyst near room temperature. The particles are of approximately uniform shape and size of around 100 nm. Some of the particles form clusters. The method is reproducible on different substrates. Quantum chemical calculations have been employed in order to elucidate the role of critical opalescence and of the substrate. The calculations show that the presence of molecular clusters at the critical point is essential in decreasing the excitation energy. The dissociation reaction most likely occurs on the surface of the substrate, where the excitation energy is decreased even further. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.