title: Cross-linked nano-onions of carbon nitride in the solid phase: existence of a novel C(48)N(12) aza-fullerene.
abstract: We report a new fullerenelike material consisting of cross-linked nano-onions of C and N. Growth of the onion shells takes place atom by atom on a substrate surface and yields thin solid films during magnetron sputter deposition. Electron microscopy and energy loss spectroscopy show that the core shell contains up to 20 at. % N corresponding to C(48)N(12) aza-fullerene composition. Nanoindentation of this nanostructured material gives high resilience with hardness 7 GPa, Young's modulus 37 GPa, and complete elastic recovery after loading with 0.5 mN to a depth of 75 nm. Total energy calculations show the stability of C(60-2n)N(2n) aza-fullerenes and suggest the existence of a novel C(48)N(12) molecule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Linköping University, S-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hultman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stafström
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Czigány
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neidhardt
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hellgren
authors.forename: I F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Brunell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suenaga
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colliex