CLUSTERS OF C60 MOLECULES

Clusters of 13, 19 and 55 C60 molecules are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation and in terms of their potential-energy surfaces. F or (C60)55 nearly 3000 rearrangement pathways have been calculated and compared with a similar sample for a 55-atom cluster bound by the sim pler Lennard-Jones potential. Striking differences are revealed betwee n these systems, both in terms of the potential-energy surface and the rmodynamic properties. These results are due to the shorter range of t he C60 intermolecular potential: for example, the rearrangement mechan isms of (C60)55 are generally much more localised that those of LJ55.