A new fullerene network phase obtained from C70 at high-pressure and high-temperature

Fullerene networks are an exciting class of materials that may display exceptional physical properties. A new C-70-fullerene network phase, synthesized at high-pressure, 7 GPa, and high-temperature, 600 degrees C, is presented. Its structure, determined by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffraction data combined with density functional theory modeling, consists of puckered polymerized layers where each molecule is bonded to three neighbors through 2 + 2 cycloaddition bonds, a new polymeric configuration unseen in other fullerene networks. This new C-70-fullerene network structure adds to the previous zigzag structures, demonstrating the potential of C-70 molecules as building blocks to synthesize new carbon phases. (C) 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim