QUENCHING C60 FULLERENE INTO DIAMOND IN THE FE-C ALLOY SYSTEM BY LASER TREATMENT

Diamond particles dispersed in the Fe-C alloy system were obtained by CO2 continuous laser-induced quenching of C60/C70 coatings on 45# carb on steel (C content: 0.45 pet). Rockwell hardness, electron microscopy , and selected area electron diffraction methods had been used to anal yze the products (namely, fullerite). The results indicated that the s o-made fullerite, which reached average Rockwell hardness of 65.4, con tained a great deal of polygonal crystallites on the order of 0.1 (mu m). Most of them were well-faceted cubic diamond. Other new phases wer e also formed in the process. The possible transition mechanism was di scussed.