TRACE-ELEMENT IMPURITIES IN C-60, C-70, AND GRAPHITE SOOT

Trace element concentrations in graphite soot, C-60, and C-70 have been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis, It has been shown that all these materials contain trace element impurities at parts-per-billion and even parts-per-million concentration levels. As structural and physical properties are known to be sensitive to such dopant concentrations of trace element impurities, it is argued that future investigations on electrical, magnetic, and the properties of fullerenes will have to consider the concentration of trace element impurities in these materials.