Desorption of C60 upon thermal decomposition of cesium C58 fullerides

A monodispersed fullerene material comprising exclusively C(58) cages was doped with Cs to generate Cs(x)C(58) films of various compositions. The resulting modified properties have been studied using a variety of surface analysis methods with emphasis on thermal desorption and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies. Cs doping raises the thermal stability of C(58) films which are characterized by quasi-covalent cage-cage bonds between annelated pentagon sites. Desorption mass spectra show emission of significant amounts of C(60) at elevated temperatures implying that Cs doping can activate C(58)→C(60) conversion in the condensed phase. In the case of saturated Cs(x)C(58) films, up to 4.5% of the initially deposited C(58) can be desorbed as C(60). From the spectroscopic data, we infer that Cs insertion and transport into the interstitial sites of the C(58) solid is accompanied by spontaneous electron transfer to the electronegative fullerene framework-leading to a weakening of intercage carbon-carbon bonds. At the same time, the overall cohesion of the solid film is enhanced by the formation of multiple ionic Cs(+) (β)C(58) (-) (δ) interactions. Near 800 K, Cs(+) activates∕catalyzes concerted disproportionation reactions resulting in the transfer of C(2) from C(58) (-) (δ) to neighbouring cages to yield C(60) (and C(56)). Heating Cs(x)C(58) films to beyond this temperature range yields a (high temperature) stable reaction product with a significantly modified UP spectrum and a finite density of states at the Fermi level.