Electronic behavior of a carbon cluster/neodymium oxide composite material

A networked, alternating neodymium-O-phenylene hybrid copolymer was calcined under an argon atmosphere at 400 similar to 700 degrees C to obtain black-colored materials. ICP and elemental analyses and XRD measurements showed that the calcined materials were composed of carbon clusters and neodymium oxide particles with diameters of a few nm. ESR spectral measurements showed that the calcined materials have free electrons on carbon clusters. Changes in the ESR signal intensities of the calcined materials with the additions of an oxidant and a reductant showed that an electron transfer from neodymium oxide to carbon clusters took place.