Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Intercalation of sodium heteroclusters into the C60 lattice

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

INTERCALATION of sodium into C60 has been shown1 to yield a range of compounds Nax C60 (2<x<6). Unlike the other alkali-metal-doped compounds, there is no evidence of superconductivity within this range of doping. Furthermore, Na6C60 retains the face-centred-cubic (f.c.c.) structure of undoped C60 whereas the analogous x = 6 phases with K, Rb or Cs are body-centred cubic (b.c.c.)2. Here we report the preparation of sodium-doped C60 with x up to about 10; the structure remains f.c.c. throughout. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data yields a structure with ideal composition Na11C60, in which the octahedral interstitial site contains a nine-atom body-centred cluster of sodium atoms while the tetrahedral sites are singly occupied. Clusters of four to nine sodium atoms in the octahedral site provide sufficient 'chemical pressure' to prevent the low-temperature lattice distortion that occurs when this site is singly occupied, as in Na3C60 (ref. 1). This distortion is thought to suppress superconductivity in the latter compound. Thus we suggest that new sodium-doped superconduct-ing phases may be found in the range 4< x< 11.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rosseinsky, M. J. et al. Nature 356, 416–418 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhou, O. et al. Nature 351, 462–464 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Zhu, Q. et al. Science 252, 545–548 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Murphy, D. W. et al. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 53, 1321 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stephens, P. W. et al. Nature 351, 632–634 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fleming, R. M. et al. Nature 352, 787–788 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhou, O. et al. Science 255, 833–835 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fleming, R. M. et al. Nature 352, 701–703 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Tanigaki, K. et al. Nature 356, 419–421 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Liquid-Metals Handbook, 2nd. Edn, (U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington DC, 1954).

  11. Koutecky, V. B., Fantucci, P. & Koutecky, J. Phys. Rev. B37, 4369–4374 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Rothlisberger, U. & Andreoni, W. J. Chem. Phys. 94, 8129–8151 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chabre, Y. et al. J. Am. chem. Soc. 114, 764–765 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. O. Zhou

    Present address: AT& T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey, 07974, USA

  2. R. A. Strongin, M. A. Cichy & A. B. Smith III

    Present address: the Chemistry Department, University of Pennsylvania,

  3. C. L. Lin: Department of Physics, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA

  4. R. Jelinek: Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA

  5. T. Yildirim, O. Zhou, J. E. Fischer and N. Bykovetz: T.Y. is also at the Physics Department, University of Pennsylvania. O.Z., J.E.F. and N.B. are also at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania

  6. J. E. Fischer: Correspondence should be sent to J.E.F.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA

    T. Yildirim, O. Zhou, J. E. Fischer, N. Bykovetz, R. A. Strongin, M. A. Cichy, A. B. Smith III, C. L. Lin & R. Jelinek

Authors
  1. T. Yildirim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. E. Fischer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. Bykovetz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. A. Strongin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. A. Cichy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. A. B. Smith III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. C. L. Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. R. Jelinek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yildirim, T., Zhou, O., Fischer, J. et al. Intercalation of sodium heteroclusters into the C60 lattice. Nature 360, 568–571 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/360568a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/360568a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation