Formation of fullerenes in highly concentrated solar flux

• Published in: Journal of physical chemistry (1952) Vol. 97; no. 34; pp. 8701 - 8702
• Main Authors: Fields, C. L, Pitts, J. R, Hale, M. J, Bingham, C, Lewandowski, A, King, D. E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.08.1993
• Subjects: 140905; Applied sciences; CARBON; CHEMICAL PREPARATION; Chemistry; ELEMENTAL MINERALS; ELEMENTS; Elements and non-metal compounds (oxides, hydroxides, hydrides, sulfides, carbides, ...); Energy; EVAPORATION; Exact sciences and technology; FULLERENES; FURNACES; GRAPHITE; Inorganic chemistry and origins of life; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; MINERALS; Natural energy; NONMETALS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; Preparations and properties; SOLAR ENERGY; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; SOLAR FLUX; SOLAR FURNACES; SYNTHESIS 400201 > Chemical & Physicochemical Properties; Characterization; Solar furnace; Preparation; Graphite; Carbon Molecules; HPLC chromatography; Fullerenes; Atomic cluster; Instrumentation; Experimental study; Mass spectrometry; Vaporization
• ISSN: 0022-3654; 1541-5740
• DOI: 10.1021/j100136a008

Of the many methods available to produce fullerenes, one of the most exciting uses highly concentrated sunlight to vaporize the graphite. We have shown in recent experiments, as has the Rice University group, that this method can effectively produce these materials. The 10-kW solar furnace at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was used with a reaction chamber designed to deliver to a graphite pellet a solar flux of 1200 W/cm[sup 2]. Analysis of the resulting soot by mass spectrometry and HPLC has confirmed the existence of fullerenes. Although our results show great promise, a number of fundamental issues still need to be addressed. 5 refs., 4 figs.