Thermally stimulated desorption of C60 and C70 fullerenes from rigid-chain polyimide films

Polyimide-fullerene composite thin coatings are investigated using thermal desorption mass spectrometry in the temperature range 20–800°C. It is found that, at temperatures below the temperature of decom-position of the polymer matrix, thermally stimulated desorption of fullerene molecules is limited by the diffusion of fullerene molecules in the matrix. The diffusion coefficients and activation energies of diffusion of C60 and C70 fullerene molecules are determined from the experimental data on thermally stimulated desorption in the framework of several approaches. It is revealed that the diffusion of C70 molecules in the polyimide matrix is more hindered than the diffusion of C60 molecules in the same matrix.