Fullerene has been prepared from four commercial cokes by electrical arcing in helium atmosphere and purified by column chromatography using activited carbons as the stationary phase. The crude and pure fullerene products are characterized by high pressure liquid chromatography

mass spectrometry and UV-Vis spectrometry. The results are discussed in terms of the carbon arc evaporation process parameters and the properties of coke. The yield of crude fullerenes decreased as the volatile matter content of coke increases and the composition of crude fullerenes depends on the volatile matter content of coke. After column chromatography separation with pure toluene as mobile phase on active carbon-silica gel

99. 9% C60 is obtained. The yield of pure C60 is affected by the microstructure of active carbon and the length of column chromatography.