SOLAR-ENERGY - APPLICATION TO THE PRODUCTION OF FULLERENES

We have shown previously that the high intensity of solar radiation ob tained with the Odeillo (France) solar furnace facilities, can be used to vaporize graphite in an inert-gas atmosphere and to produce fuller enes. After a short survey of the vaporization-condensation method use d here, we discuss some of the growth mechanisms of these molecules an d possible ways to increase the yield, which can reach 20% in the best cases. These experiments point out the principal factors controlling the fullerene yield, such as temperature, pressure and the gas Bow rat e of the inert gas or the density of carbon atoms in the vaporization zone. Using these observations, the next developments of the method ar e currently in preparation using a I MW solar furnace.