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Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
Published on: April 19, 2019
Confined linear carbon chains as a route to bulk carbyne
Lei Shi1, Philip Rohringer1, Kazu Suenaga2
1University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, 1090 Wien, Austria.
Abstract:
Strong chemical activity and extreme instability in ambient conditions characterize carbyne, an infinite sp(1) hybridized carbon chain. As a result, much less has been explored about carbyne as compared to other carbon allotropes such as fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene. Although end-capping groups can be used to stabilize carbon chains, length limitations are still a barrier for production, and even more so for application. We report a method for the bulk production of long acetylenic linear carbon chains protected by thin double-walled carbon nanotubes. The synthesis of very long arrangements is confirmed by a combination of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and (near-field) resonance Raman spectroscopy. Our results establish a route for the bulk production of exceptionally long and stable chains composed of more than 6,000 carbon atoms, representing an elegant forerunner towards the final goal of carbyne's bulk production.
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