Synthesis of ultrahard fullerite with a catalytic 3D polymerization reaction of C60

3D polymerization of C-60 realizes under conditions of large plastic deformation at pressure 6-7 GPa and room temperature in the presence of CS2. The phase of 3D-polymerized C-60 is identical to ultrahard fullerite synthesized from pure C-60 at 18 GPa pressure: in both cases, the samples plough diamond during the rotation of the sample in a shear diamond anvil cell, bulk module is 585 GPa, and a sequence of phase transitions preceding to ultrahard phase is also the same in both cases (in the presence of CS2, the phase transitions take place at lower pressures than in pure C-60). Raman and transmission microscope studies confirm the structure equivalence of samples of both types. The absence of sulfur in the structure of ultrahard fullerite synthesized in the presence of CS2 proves the catalysis role of CS2 in the 3D polymerization of C-60. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.