Spectral emission during high temperature pyrolysis of fullerene C60 in shock waves

Submicron fullerence C60 particles were dispersed in Ar and heated by shock waves to temperatures between 2370 K and 3500 K. The aerosol particles evaporate under such conditions in a few microseconds to form C60 vapour. From the time‐dependent spectra at specified wavelengths the decomposition rate of C60 was determined. At temperatures above 2600 K spectral lines of C2 appear in the emission spectrum. A comparison between measured and calculated C2 spectra indicates an increasing amount of C2 with increasing temperature.