ON ACCRETION OF NANOSIZE CARBON SPHERES

In this paper, the high chemical activity of the newly synthesized nan osize carbon spheres is demonstrated. The carbon spheres can be accret ed by a treatment in acetone, The mechanism for the accretion is attri buted to the combination of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms belonging to the acetone molecules with the adsorbed hydrogen and/or oxygen atoms at the edges of the open graphitic flakes distributed at the surface o f the carbon spheres. The high chemical activity of the carbon spheres can have important applications in catalysis. The accretion of the ca rbon spheres may significantly improve the strength of composite mater ials made using the spheres.