Characterizing high-pressure compressed C-60 whiskers and C-60 powder

Structural, mechanical, and electrical properties were examined for C-60 whiskers, high-pressure sintered C-60 whiskers, and C-60 powder. A high density of dislocations was observed in the C-60 whiskers, and the C-60 whiskers with diameters of a few hundred nanometers were found to be flexible. Although both the specimens sintered under the same condition showed similar surface x-ray diffraction profiles with a strong accumulation of [110](tr) orientation, the sintered C-60 whiskers showed a higher micro-Vickers hardness and an electrical resistivity four orders of magnitude lower than that of the sintered C-60 powder.