Scanning acoustic microscopy study of superhard C60-based polimerized fullerites

Ultrahard and superhard fullerites are a new class of the carbon materials produced recently by bulk polymerization of C60 and C70 fullerenes under high-pressure-high-temperature treatment. We applied the acoustic microscopy technique to measuring longitudinal and shear sound velocities and determinating elastic constants of the super- and ultra-hard polimerized fullerites. Bulk elastic modulus of ultrahard fullerites is essentially higher than diamondʹs one, while the shear modulus and the Young modulus are less. The acoustic microscopy images reflected microstructure of fullerite speciments were obtained.