Spectral emission during high temperature pyrolysis of fullerene C₆₀ in shock waves

Abstract

Abstract Submicron fullerence C 60 particles were dispersed in Ar and heated by shock waves to temperatures between 2370 K and 3500 K. The aerosol particles evaporate under such conditions in a few microseconds to form C 60 vapour. From the time‐dependent spectra at specified wavelengths the decomposition rate of C 60 was determined. At temperatures above 2600 K spectral lines of C 2 appear in the emission spectrum. A comparison between measured and calculated C 2 spectra indicates an increasing amount of C 2 with increasing temperature.