The Formation of Fullerenes from Sonic Velocity Gaseous Carbon

Abstract

A contact are and adiabatic expansion hybrid reactor has been utilized to provide a controlled cooling process of gaseous carbon species capable of attaining very high velocities. Both vaporization and annealing temperatures and annealing time were found to be impartant for the formation of fullerenes. Immediate rapid quenching of gaseous carbon resulted in the reduction of fullerene yields. However, rapid quenching was demonstrated to improve the fullerene yield by preserving the as-grown fullerenes in the high temperature annealing process.