Laser synthesis and stability of one-dimensional polyynic carbon chains in liquid media

Abstract

The results on femtosecond laser formation of polyynic linear carbon chains (LCCs) are reported. To reduce the oxidation and degradation of carbon chains, the synthesis of LCCs was performed in liquid media. The flakes of graphite were suspended in water or in hexane and ultrasonicated to obtain a suspension of micron-size graphite particles. This suspension was irradiated by pulses of Ti:sapphire laser. The spectral lines at 189, 199, 215, 225, 262, 276, 284, 299, 323, 342, and 368 nm in the optical absorption spectrum of the irradiated graphite suspension were clearly distinguished. They were attributed to the absorption of polyynic carbon chains CnH2, where n=2 to 20. The stability of the synthesized one-dimensional carbon chains suspended in water and hexane was defined based on the intensity of the optical absorption bands. Its half-life time was estimated to be 20 h at room temperature for water, and 7 and 25 days for hexane at 60°C and 5°C, respectively.