DOPED FULLERENE A3C60

1. KEYWORDS

Fullerene, doped fullerene, buckyball, A3C60

2. OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the study are:
- Study the properties of doped fullerene A3C60.
- Evaluate different methods of producing doped fullerene A3C60 with “A” atoms contained within molecule and compare them.
- Find the new utilities of doped fullerene A3C60 depend on the properties and known utilities.

3. DESCRIPTION

The C60 molecule was discovered by Harold Kroto, Sean O’Brien, Richard Smalley, Robert Curl and James Heath in 1985. The C60 molecules are called Fullerenes after an the American architect Richard Buckminster Fuller , was renowned for his geodesic domes, that are based on hexagons and pentagons.
Fullerene C60 is a molecule consists of 60 carbon atoms. It’s arranged like a soccer ball, with 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons. Fullerene C60 molecule is the most symmetric molecule, with its 120 symmetry operations. There are a lot of interesting applications of fullerene s and fullerene-based materials. That’s why fullerenes become very interesting topic in chemistry.
One of the many interesting properties of C60 fullerenes is the possibility to obtain doped compounds by intercalation of strong electron donors into C60 material. The name of the doped fullerene is AxC60. A means electron donor, which usually is the atom from first group, for example K, Rb, and Cs.
One of the popular compounds of doped C60 fullerene is A3C60. Two possible types of A3C60: First, with “A” atom outside the ball, second with “A” atom inside the ball. Second type is better than the first type, since the C-ball covers the A from oxidizing agent in surrounds. Because if the “A” atom is oxidized, the function of that doped fullerene will be destroyed. In second type, oxidizing agent in surround such as oxygen in air can’t oxidizes the “A” atom because they can’t enter the C-ball. It means that contact between “A” atom and oxidizing agent never be happened.

4. PLAN

- Search the informations about the properties of doped fullerene A3C60 in library and internet.
- Find the difference between doped fullerene A3C60 with “A” atoms contained within molecule and outside molecule (first and second type).
- Study the method of making fullerene compounds, and find the way to make the “A” atoms contained within the molecule.
- Search the informations about known utilities of doped fullerene A3C60 in internet and library. Depend on the known utilities and properties of doped fullerene A3C60, find the other utilities of doped fullerene A3C60.

5. STATUS

Currently, the project has been planed, and the informations about general fullerenes and fullerene C60 have been collected from internet and library.

6. REFERENCE

- Shinar, J.; Vardeny, Z. V.; Kafafi, Z.H., Optical and Electronic Properties of Fullerenes and Fullerene-Based Material, New York, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2000.
- Kroto, H. W.; Heath, J. R.; O'Brien, S. C.; Curl, R. F.; Smalley, R. E. Nature 1985, 318, 162.


Written by Dina Rosita on December 14, 2001 in Chofu,Tokyo.