Sublimation of the endohedral fullerene Er(3)N@C(80).
The heat of sublimation of the endohedral metallofullerene Er(3)N@C(80) was measured via Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry. The large molecule consists of a C(80) fullerene cage which is stabilized by a complex of three erbium atoms bounded to a nitrogen atom and has a mass of 1475 amu. The mass spectrum at a temperature of 1045 K and the relative intensities of the thermal fractions of Er(3)N@C(80) are provided. We also discuss possible thermal decomposition processes for these particles. By measuring the quantity of evaporated molecules in thermal equilibrium using a quadrupole mass spectrometer in a temperature range between 782 K and 1128 K, a value for the sublimation enthalpy of ΔH(sub) = 237 ± 7 kJ mol(-1) is obtained via the second-law method.
Stibor
Alexander
A
Physikalisches Institut, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, CQ Center for Collective Quantum Phenomena and their Applications, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. stibor@pit.physik.uni-tuebingen.de
Schefzyk
Hannah
H
Fortágh
József
J