Simulation of fullerene formation in a carbon-helium plasma

A kinetic model of fullerene formation in the carbon-helium plasma of an arc discharge was proposed. In the model, in addition to the coagulation of carbon clusters, the cluster isomerization and their cooling with a buffer gas were taken into account. The simulation results of the fullerene formation are in qualitatively agreement with the experimental data, i.e., the fraction of higher fullerenes increases at high pressures in the fullerene mixture.