Abstract. To determine the most suitable noble gas for fullerene production, comparable synthesis tests under standard arc discharge conditions have been conducted. These exhibit a 4% yield of fullerenes in a helium ambient. Under standard conditions the work pressure is 200 Torr while the electric arc current between the electrodes is maintained at 50 A. The cross sections of the electrodes are 5×3 mm for the fixed electrode and 2×2.5 mm for the mobile electrode. The power supply voltage is alternating within the limits of 17±0.5 V. The work materials are spectral purity carbon and 99.999% pure He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe gases. The fine soot synthesised within the discharge region was shown to contain C₆₀/C₇₀ fullerene mixture quantities, 5% in Xe, 5.7% in Ar, 5.9% in Kr, 6% in Ne and 4.3% in He.

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