Surface Heterogeneity of C60 As Studied by Infrared Spectroscopy of Adsorbed CO and Adsorption Potential Calculations

Abstract

In our recent investigation of the IR spectrum of CO physically adsorbed on C60 films, two well-resolved absorption bands at 2135 and 2128 cm-1 were found, suggesting that the molecule is adsorbed on two different sites. To determine the nature of these adsorption sites, calculations of adsorption potentials and spectral shifts for the CO/C60 system were performed. The calculations were done for the fcc (100), fcc (111) hcp (001), and hcp (111) surface planes. In the calculations the 6-exponential and the Lennard-Jones potentials were used. A number of adsorption sites were chosen. These included the void space between four, three, and two neighboring C60 molecules and the center of the hexagon and the pentagon on the C60 surface. The calculated potentials and spectral shifts clearly indicate that adsorption sites in the voids between the C60 molecules are energetically preferred over sites on top of single C60 molecules. Comparison is made between results obtained with the two potentials and with results obtained previously with the two other carbon allotropes: graphite and diamond.