Neutron diffraction study of the interaction of iron with amorphous fullerite

The amorphous fullerite C$_{60}$ has been prepared by mechanical activation (grinding in a ball mill), and its interaction with iron during sintering of powders with 0–95 at% Fe has been studied. After sintering in the range 800–1200$^\circ$C under a pressure of 70 MPa, the samples have nonequilibrium structures different from the structures of both annealed and quenched steels. In this case, the carbon phase, i.e., amorphous fullerite, undergoes a polyamorphous transition to amorphous graphite. It has also been shown that the interaction of amorphous fullerite with iron is weaker compared to crystalline fullerite or crystalline graphite.