Laboratory evidence for the formation of hydrogenated fullerene molecules.

Experimental evidence for the formation of hydrogenated fullerene molecules is presented. Films of C60 were grown on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (substrate) and exposed to a beam of deuterium atoms. Thermal desorption combined with mass spectrometry was used to determine the deuterated fullerene products formed, revealing a maximum degree of deuteration corresponding to C60D36. Release of D2 from the deuterated C60 film occurs at a much higher temperature than for D-saturated graphite.