Transition metal coated fullerenes

Compound clusters of fullerene molecules and transition metal atoms having the composition C60Mx and C70Mx With x = 0..150 and M epsilon {Ti, Zr, V, Y, Ta, Nb} were produced using laser vaporisation in a low-pressure inert gas aggregation cell. Intensity anomalies in the mass spectra correlate with the atomic radii of the different metals indicating the formation of complete metal layers around the central fullerene molecule. Using high laser intensities the metal-fullerene clusters can be transformed into met-cars and metal-carbides. Photofragmentation spectra of preselected C60Tax indicate that the fullerene cage is destroyed for x greater than or equal to 3.