Production of Self-Assembled Fullerene (C60) Nanocrystals at Liquid-Liquid Interface

Here we present self-assembled nanostructure of functional molecule fullerene (C60) at liquid-liquid interface. The nanostructured nanocrystals were grown at liquid-liquid interface of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and C60 solution in butylbenzene under ambient condition of temperature and pressure, and characterized by Raman scattering, power X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystal formation mechanism is driven by supersaturation related to the low solubility of C60 in IPA. A slow diffusion of IPA towards the C60 solution causes unsaturation of C60 at the liquid-liquid interface and consequently small clusters of C60 is formed at the interface, which acts as the nucleation site. Further diffusion of IPA supplies the C60 molecules from bulk to the interface promoting the crystal growth. Based on SEM and TEM observation, the average size of the individual hexagonal bipyramid nanocrystal is found to be ca. 1.4 µm and the average size of their assembly is found to be approximately 2 µm. XRD measurements have shown that these materials are crystalline with mixed face-centered cubic (cell dimension: a = 1.352 nm, and V = 2.475 nm3) and hexagonal (cell dimension: a = 1.452 nm, c = 1.207 nm, c/a = 0.831, and V = 2.475 nm3) structures. Raman scattering measurements showed two Ag and six Hg vibration bands, which are similar to those obtained in the pristine C60.