Production of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes by the solar energy route

Direct vaporization of graphite, under inert gas atmosphere, using a 2 kW s olar furnace of the Odeillo institute, gives fullerenes with a yield which can reach 20 %. In the same way, vaporizing graphite/bimetal targets we can produce single-wall carbon nanotubes. The limiting factor is the target te mperature which is around 3000 K. These small-scale experiments are used to study the growth mechanisms of these material and prepare experiments with a more powerful furnace (1000 kW) for which the vaporization temperature c ould reach 3400 K for larger targets to increase significantly the fulleren es yield or the purity of carbon nanotubes.