Synthesis, atomic structures and properties of carbon and boron nitride fullerene materials

Carbon (C) and boron nitride (BN) fullerene materials (clusters, onions, intercalation, nanopolyhedra, nanotubes and nanocapsules) were synthesized by polymer pyrolysis, chemical reaction, arc-melting and electron-beam irradiation. Atomic structure and formation mechanism were investigated by high-resolution electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Fullerene clusters and atomic clouds (atom hopping) were formed on the surface of the C and BN fullerene materials. They provided angular and spherical nanocage structures which consist of four-, five-, six-, and seven-membered ring bonding. Detection possibility of doping atoms in metallofullerene was discussed. Included clusters showed some crystallographic relationship with {001} layers of C and BN fullerene materials, and a structure model was proposed. Photoluminescence and magnetic properties of C and BN nanocapsules were measured, which showed higher energy shift of luminescence and superparamagnetism. The present work indicates that the new C and BN fullerene materials with various atomic structure and properties can be produced by various synthesis methods, and a guideline for designing the C and BN fullerene materials is summarized.