Arc discharge method

• Involves the evaporation and recondensation of graphite, a soot is produced which contains the fullerene. This soot is dispersed in toluene and separated using an extractor.

Laser irradiation

• Use a laser at wavelength 337nm to dehydrogenate a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon causing a fullerene to be produced.

Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis (FVP)

• A chlorine substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon can form a fullerene through flash vacuum pyrolysis at 1100°C. Flash vacuum pyrolysis works by volatising (making gaseous) a precursor which is then passed through a hot zone and then rapidly cooled in a cold trap to be collected.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

• This works by adding pure gaseous methane and hydrogen into a CVD chamber in which a scratched silicon wafer acts as the substrate (medium in which chemical reaction occurs upon). Soot can be collected from the substrate holder which will contain small amounts of C₆₀.