Effect of fullerenes on the activation energy of the graphite-diamond phase transition

The modification of graphite used in diamond synthesis with low concentrations of the fullerene С$_{60}$–С$_{70}$ extract (from 0.045 to 0.225 wt% of graphite mass) in the presence of a Ni–Mn metal catalyst at a pressure of 5 GPa in the temperature range 1600–1800 K is found to decrease the activation energy of the graphite-diamond phase transition from 160 $\pm$ 40 to 100 $\pm$ 40 kJ/mol.