Fullerene was theoretically predicted and experimentally discovered, but its detection in laboratory studies is still underrepresented with respect to its theoretical abundance. Recent High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) studies of soot samples, however, lead to single fullerene molecule detection in higher amounts than was previously established. HRTEM is able to identify fullerenes even if they are only present in small quantities that would be below the detection limit of chemical techniques. Fullerenes will probably remain largely undetected until higher signal to noise ratio measurements are used to search for them. Such studies could yield different conclusions on fullerene abundances both in terrestrial and in extraterrestrial samples. For the latter, important astrophysical implications have to be considered.

Natural C60 and large fullerenes: A matter of detection

ROTUNDI, Alessandra;
2006-01-01

Abstract

Fullerene was theoretically predicted and experimentally discovered, but its detection in laboratory studies is still underrepresented with respect to its theoretical abundance. Recent High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) studies of soot samples, however, lead to single fullerene molecule detection in higher amounts than was previously established. HRTEM is able to identify fullerenes even if they are only present in small quantities that would be below the detection limit of chemical techniques. Fullerenes will probably remain largely undetected until higher signal to noise ratio measurements are used to search for them. Such studies could yield different conclusions on fullerene abundances both in terrestrial and in extraterrestrial samples. For the latter, important astrophysical implications have to be considered.
2006
1-4020-4134-9
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11367/19441
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