In　order　to　obtain　the　exact　chemical　structure　and　further　discuss　the　global　warming　effect　of　elemental　carbon　(EC)　particles,　the　morphology　and　the　chemical　structure　of　EC　particles　emitted　from　diesel　vehicles　were　first　investigated　in　detail　using　scan　electron　microscopy　equipped　with　an　energy　dispersive　X-ray　spectrometer　(SEM-EDX),　matrix-assisted　laser　desorption/ionization　time-of-flight　mass　spectrometry　(MALDI-TOF-MS),　Fourier　Transformation　Infrared　(FT-IR)　spectrum　and　13C　Nuclear　Magnetic　Resonance　(NMR)　spectrum　in　this　study.　The　SEM-EDX　results　showed　that　EC　particles　emitted　from　diesel　bus　are　50nm　spherical　particles　with　smooth　surface　and　an　O/C　ratio　(mass　ratio)　of　0.07±0.01.　The　50nm　EC　particles　were　further　deduced　to　be　an　aggregate　of　new　fullerene　C36(OH)2　according　to　the　results　of　MALDI-TOF-MS,　FT-IR　and　13C　NMR.　Fullerenes　smaller　than　60C　were　considered　to　be　unstable　since　they　cannot　fulfill　the　so-called　isolated　pentagon　rule.　So　far,　most　of　our　knowledge　regarding　small　fullerenes　comes　from　gas-phase　experiments　and　theoretical　investigations,　the　production　and　separation　of　small　fullerene　solids　in　the　macroscopic　quantity　has　been　reported.　The　present　report　is　the　first　discovery　of　C36(OH)2-based　solid.　©　2011　Elsevier　Ltd.