Synthesis and properties of fullerene nanowhiskers and fullerene nanotubes

Fine needle-like crystals of C60, "C60 nanowhiskers", were discovered in 2001 in a colloidal solution of PZT ceramics added with C60. Not only the C60 nanowhiskers but also the nanowhiskers composed of C70 and C60 derivatives can be synthesized at room temperature by using the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method (LLIP method). Tubular fullerene nanowhiskers, "fullerene nanotubes" composed of C60 and C70 molecules can be synthesized by the LLIP method as well. These fullerene nanofibers are pure carbon semiconductors and have wide potential applications in the fields of electronics, optics, MEMS, catalysts, energy and environment. The fullerene nanofibers are now establishing a new scientific field of nanomaterials for the coming all carbon device age. In this paper, the synthesis and various novel properties of fullerene nanofibers are presented.