C-60 INFLATION - PRODUCTION OF C-62, C-64

The fullerenes, C60 and C70, incorporate multiple C2 groups into the c age when the solid is bombarded by a kiloelectron volt polyatomic ion beam. In the case of C60, C62 to at least C74 are produced but there i s no enhanced formation of C70. The C2 groups are derived from fullere ne fragmentation and addition apparently occurs with subsequent cage e xpansion. This new process of fullerene inflation was recently predict ed by ab initio molecular dynamics methods (Yi and Bernholc, Phys. Rev . B, 48 (1993) 5724).