Geological occurrence of fullerenes

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6040564

Buseck, P R; Tsipursky, S J; Wang, S ^[1]; Hettich, R ^[2]

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1. Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

Using HRTEM imaging, the authors found C[sub 60] and C[sub 70] fullerenes in shungite, a Precambrian carbon-rich rock from Karelia, Russia. Compositionally, shungite represents coals of the meta-anthracite rank, characterized by low ash and sulfur contents, low volatile yields, and high carbon contents. The shungite occurs within metamorphosed sediments. The overlying rocks consist of gray dolomitized sandstones and poorly sorted silts and clays; the underlying rocks are not exposed. The shungite consists of masses containing up to 99% carbon. Diabase is interstratified with shungite-bearing rocks, and the shungite concentration increases with proximity to the diabase. Their sample comes from inclusions in the diabase. In the HRTEM images the fullerenes appear round (presumably roughly spherical in three dimensions), with white rims and black centers, almost identical to images of synthetic C[sub 60] molecules. Following the HRTEM observations, the fullerene identities were confirmed, first by time-of-flight mass spectrometry and then by more precise laser ablation, laser desorption, and thermal desorption ionization plus Fourier transform (FT) mass spectrometry. These measurements verified that the fullerenes were not generated by the laser ionization event. HRTEM images show that locally they occur in ordered arrays that resemble crystals of synthetic C[sub 60]. FT mass spectra show that the C-13/C-12 isotopic ratios for C[sub 60] and C[sub 70] fall within the normal range of terrestrial isotopic values.

• OSTI ID: 6040564
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
ASIA
CARBON
CARBON 12
CARBON 13
CARBON ISOTOPES
COAL DEPOSITS
DESORPTION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EUROPE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
FULLERENES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INTEGRAL TRANSFORMATIONS
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MICROSCOPY
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL OCCURRENCE
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
RESOURCES
SORPTION
SPECTROSCOPY
STABLE ISOTOPES
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD
TRANSFORMATIONS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
USSR