The graphite arc-discharge in the presence of CCl4: Chlorinated carbon clusters in relation with fullerenes formation Original Research Article

The graphite arc-discharge in the atmosphere consisting of CCl4 40 Torr and increasing partial pressure of He from 0 to 300 Torr produced, in addition to carbon species such as graphite and fullerenes C60 and C70, numerous chlorinated carbon clusters (CCCs). The yields of some CCCs, including C6Cl6 (perchlorobenzene), C10Cl8 (perchloronaphthalene), C12Cl8 (perchloroacenaphthylene) and C12Cl8 (isomer II), C14Cl8 (isomer I), C16Cl10 (perchlorofluoranthene), C18Cl10 (isomer I and II), and C20Cl10 (isomer I), correspond well with C60 yields, which may imply these CCCs share the same growth mechanism with fullerenes. Such a yield correlation can be used to distinguish the fullerene precursors from the irrelevant by-products, thus contributes to the mechanistic study of fullerene formation.