Thermal stability of solidC60

We have used differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy, and x-ray diffraction to study the thermal stability of pristine ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ in the solid state. To minimize contamination and/or reaction of the sample with the container, sublimed single crystals and powder derived from resublimed ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ material were heated in hermetically sealed Au pans. Crystals heated at 1260 K for more than 10 min decomposed into amorphous carbon without losing their faceted morphology.