碳原子团簇的形成研究

碳原子团簇的生长过程及其富勒烯的形成机理,是近十余年来科学界孜孜以求而又一直无法求解的难题。虽然有关研究人员先后提出了可能的机理,但是至今没有一种得到实验结果的证实。本研究组就此作了积极的探索和较深入的研究,创新和发展了多种形式和研究碳原子团簇的方法,精心设计了一系列实验,综合运用多种研究手段,明确了氯原子存在下碳簇的生长过程,发现了氯原子等自由基对富勒烯形成的催化作用,总结了碳等原子团簇形成的统计分布规律,表征了C60的聚合和南方坍塌过程,在碳原子团簇的形成研究中取得重要进展。

Formation Studies ofCarbon Clusters

Growth and formation of fullerenes and other carbon clusters has presented a mechanistic puzzle to physical and organic chemists. Although various schemes have been proposed after the discovery of the fullerenes, none of them have been exclusively verified by available experimental evidences. In order to reveal the puzzle, we have developed special apparatus and synthetic methods. Based on the techniques, it has been found that the fullerenes can grow from a simple molecule containing single carbon atom such as chloroform, and other reaction products are perchlorinated fragments of fullerenes. In addition, chlorine atoms and other free radicals can catalyze formation of fullerenes very effectively. The observations thus conclude that, with involvement of chlorine atoms, formation of the fullerenes follows the "Pentagon Road" scheme proposed by Smalley and co workers. In the formation studies, statistical distribution of carbon and other clusters has been discovered and attributed to the formation kinetics of the clusters. Coalescence and collapse processes of C 60 have also been characterized in the studies.