Growth and characterization of buckybundles

Abstract

Buckybundles (bundles of buckytubes), approximately 50 μm in diameter and 1 cm in length, have been observed in a deposited carbon rod on the cathode electrode of a dc arc. Scanning electron microscopy images clearly show an evenly spaced array of parallel buckybundles. High resolution electron microscopy reveals that each buckybundle consists of closely packed buckytubes with their axes parallel to the bundle axis. Within each bundle it is estimated that there are about 10⁷ buckytubes with diameters in the range (20–300 Å). We have measured the deposited rod growth rate as a function of the He gas pressure and have evaluated the influence of the graphite feed rod diameter on the yield of buckybundles. The magnetic susceptibilities parallel and perpendicular to the bundle axes were measured. The results show that the bundles have anisotropic diamagnetic properties.