Fullerene crystal prepared by evaporating amorphous carbon rod in inert gas

Abstract

Soot in carbon-arc smoke has been studied by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The soot was directly collected from the smoke on an electron-microscope grid covered with a carbon film. Many C 60 crystals were found in the soot. Amorphous carbon and graphite particles were also observed. The fullerene content in the soot was more than 60%. The C 60 molecules were found as crystals in the soot, which were face-centered cubic. It is shown from the calculation of the diffraction intensity from a C 60 crystal that the absence of the (002) diffraction is attributable to rapid rotation of C 60 molecules.