BORON-DOPED CARBON FULLERENES AND NANOTUBULES FORMED THROUGH ELECTRON-IRRADIATION-INDUCED SOLID-STATE PHASE-TRANSFORMATION

Here we report on the in situ creation of single/multi-shelled fullere nes and multi-walled nanotubules by electron irradiation of chemical v apor deposit graphitic BxC1-x (x less than or equal to 0.2) in a high- resolution 300 kV electron microscope. Nanostructure formation occurre d through irradiation-induced solid-state phase transformation, in con trast to conventional fullerene/nanotube synthesis from the gas phase. The fullerene/nanotubule chemical composition and bending character w ere analyzed by electron energy loss spectroscopy applying a O0.5 nm e lectron probe. The B/C ratio of the observed curled, closed nanostruct ures has never exceeded similar to 0.1. Unlike Dun carbon ''onions,'' most of the B-doped fullerenes exhibited a polyhedral faceted circumfe rence suggestive of B-induced buckling. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.