Specific features of thermal expansion and polyamorphism in CH4 – C60 solutions at low temperatures

• The temperature dependence of the linear thermal expansion coefficient alpha(T) is investigated in the temperature range of 2.5 to 23 K for two different CH4-C-60 solutions in which CH4 molecules occupy 24 and 50% of the octahedral interstitial sites of the C-60 lattice. In both cases, alpha(T) exhibits hysteresis, suggesting the existence of two types of orientational glass associated with these solutions. The temperature of the first-order phase transition between these two glasses is estimated, and the behavior of these two glasses is compared. The characteristic times of thermalization tau(1), reorientation of the C-60 molecules tau(2), and of the phase transformation between the glasses tau('), are estimated for these solutions. Both the temperature dependence of alpha(T) and the characteristic thermalization time tau(1) are found to have features near the phase transition temperature, and an explanation is put forward to explain these observed features.

Ämnesord

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

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

Nyckelord

Thermal expansion

fullerene

C60

intercalation compound

solvate

CH4

methane

exohedral

orientational glass

polyamorphism

Condensed matter physics

Kondenserade materiens fysik

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