Single-crystal structural study of the pressure-temperature induced dimerization of C60

• We present a study by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction/diffuse scattering of C60 single-crystals treated at high-pressure and high-temperature. This allowed us to obtain structural information on the C60 dimer state which can be considered as an intermediate state in the polymerization process. In the 1-6 GPa pressure range the crystals are primarily formed of dimers with additional minor fractions of monomers, 1D and 2D polymers, as shown by the analysis of the Raman spectra. The dimers are disordered within an average cubic lattice derived from that of the monomer. Single-crystal diffraction patterns reveal a characteristic diffuse scattering intensity distribution which has been simulated by calculating the diffuse scattering produced by dimer and trimer model structures. Satisfactory agreement is obtained for random positional and orientational disorder of the C60-C60 dimers although a small concentration of similarly disordered trimers is likely. In a first approximation the dimer/trimer disorder can be considered as random but various inter-dimer correlations are probably present, as discussed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Fullerenes

C60

dimer

Raman spectroscopy

X-ray diffracton

XRD

high pressure

high temperature

synthesis

structure

Condensed matter physics

Kondenserade materiens fysik

fysik

Physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)