The preparation of nano-onion-like fullerencs by arc discharge

The synthesis of nano-onion-like fullerenes on a large scale by the arc discharge method was investigated using Bi_2O_3 as catalyst. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the morphologies and microstructures of the product. Results indicated that the nano-onion-like fullerenes were perfectly structured and highly graphitized, with uniform external diameter of about 25nm. Two kinds of nano-onion-like fullerenes were obtained: 1) Single-nuclei onion-like fullerenes; 2) Multiple-nuclei onion-like fullerenes. The investigation pointed to a possible routine for large scale synthesis of onion-like fullerenes.