Accurate ab initio total atomization energies of the Cn clusters (n=2–10)

Abstract

The total atomization energies of the carbon clusters Cn (n=2–10) have been calculated ab initio using augmented coupled-cluster methods and basis sets of spdf and spdfg quality. The values agree to within experimental uncertainty with recent Knudsen effusion measurements for Cn (n=2–7), but suggest actual values on the high side of their experimental range. For the odd-numbered clusters, an additivity approximation holds very well, and extrapolated D0 values are proposed for C11, C13, C15, C17, and C19.