Superconductivity in doped fullerenes
- AT T Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ (United States)
While there is not complete agreement on the microscopic mechanism of superconductivity in alkali-metal-doped C[sub 60], further research may well lead to the production of analogous materials that lose resistance at even higher temperatures. Carbon 60 is a fascinating and arrestingly beautiful molecule. With 12 pentagonal and 20 hexagonal faces symmetrically arrayed in a soccer-ball-like structure that belongs to the icosahedral point group, I[sub h], its high symmetry alone invites special attention. The publication in September 1990 of a simple technique for manufacturing and concentrating macroscopic amounts of this new form of carbon announced to the scientific community that enabling technology had arrived. Macroscopic amounts of C[sub 60] (and the higher fullerenes, such as C[sub 70] and C[sub 84]) can now be made with an apparatus as simple as an arc furnace powered with an arc welding supply. Accordingly, chemists, physicists and materials scientists have joined forces in an explosion of effort to explore the properties of this unusual molecular building block. 23 refs., 6 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6493340
- Journal Information:
- Physics Today; (United States), Vol. 45:11; ISSN 0031-9228
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DOPED MATERIALS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SYNTHESIS
FULLERENES
ALKALI METALS
CARBON
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
METALS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
360607* - Other Materials- Superconducting Properties- (1992-)
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture