Anaerobic Preparation and Solvent-Free Separation of Uranium Endohedral Metallofullerenes

Abstract

Safe production, handling, and separation of depleted uranium endohedral metallofullernes in an oxygen-free environment is demonstrated. Films of C60, C70, and M@C60 are produced by subliming fullerenes from arc-produced soot onto a mass spectrometry target (with ca. 1% impurities of higher fullerenes). Also, films consisting of higher fullerenes (empty and full) and mostly devoid of C60 or C70 are made by subliming at higher temperatures. The temperature of the soot must be uniform and held constant during sublimation in order to produce high-quality films. M@C60 requires a slightly higher temperature for sublimation than empty C60, the likely result of stronger interactions between M@C60 and its surroundings in the soot.