Synthesis of multishell fullerenes by laser vaporization of composite carbon targets

Multishell fullerenes are the smallest among multishell carbon clusters, such as the larger graphitic onions or multishell nanotubes. Unlike classical fullerenes, which have a cage structure and are known to have been synthesized in a variety of sizes (C₆₀, C₇₀, C₈₄, C₁₀₂, etc.), multishell fullerenes have a cage-inside-cage concentric structure, such as double-shell C₆₀@C₂₄₀ or triple-shell C₆₀@C₂₄₀@C₅₆₀. We report on the synthesis of multishell fullerenes by laser vaporization of C₆₀-containing composite carbon targets. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy, and other methods were used for characterization of the product. The yield of the process reaches up to 40%, which permits production in gram amounts even in laboratory conditions.     

Fullerenes as mass sensors: A numerical investigation

This paper investigates the novel development of a mass sensitive nanosensor based on the use of individual spherical fullerenes. The main advantage of the mass sensing ability of spherical fullerenes in comparison with other nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) is the fact that they present almost perfect geometric symmetry and thus a unique vibrational behavior which is independent from the location of the externally added nanoparticle. The study is conducted by the use of a computationally effective numerical scheme based on the adoption of appropriate three dimensional line spring elements as well as point mass elements to simulate the atomistic structure of fullerenes and interatomic interactions appearing between carbon atoms. The free vibration of C₂₀, C₆₀, C₈₀ and C₁₈₀ molecules is analyzed without and with an external nanoparticle of specific mass attached on their structure to calculate the arisen change in their natural frequencies and corresponding shape modes. A parametric study concerning the magnitude and location of the added mass is performed in order to evaluate the mass sensing ability of the fullerenes under consideration.     

Cytotoxic and radiosensitizing effects of nano-C<Subscript>60 </Subscript>on tumor cells in vitro

There is growing evidence in recent years that the pristine fullerene may be endowed with strong pro-oxidant capacity to biological samples. In this investigation we tested the hypothesis that water-soluble fullerene-C₆₀ (nano-C₆₀) may interact with ionizing radiation enhancing its antiproliferative effects. The two tumor cell lines with different radiosensitivity B16 and SMMU-7721 were treated by a combination of pristine fullerene and ⁶⁰Co γ irradiation. We measured cell survival rates, apoptotic characteristics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and alteration of cell diameter with or without γ-irradiation. There was reduced survival with B16 and SMMU-7721 cells exposed to nano-C₆₀, with the inhibitory concentrations reducing the viability by 50% to 65 part per billion (ppb) and 150 ppb respectively. For cells exposed to nano-C₆₀ prior to γ-irradiation, damage to cell membranes and increased numbers of apoptotic cells were detected by morphologic Hoechst-staining analysis and Annexin V/propidium iodide double-staining. In cells exposed to nano-C₆₀, there were increased levels of ROS, as measured by fluorescence detection under laser confocal microscopy. Preincubation with non-toxic pristine C₆₀ before γ-ray caused enlargement of cells with increased diameter. The results show that nano-C₆₀ inhibits the growth of tumor cells at certain concentrations and increases the effects of ⁶⁰Co γ-irradiation, possibly through the elevated production of cellular ROS and the membrane disruption. Data in this study indicates a possible consideration of using C₆₀ as a candidate of sensitization modifier in tumor radiation biology.     

Fullerenes磁化率的各向异性特性研究

采用规范不变分子轨道理论给出磁化率的计算公式,对C₆₀,C₇₀,C₇₆,C₇₈,C₈₂和C₈₄等π电子的磁化率进行了计算.计算结果显示出富勒烯(Fullerene)有较大的抗磁磁化率,并且具有椭球形状的富勒烯,如C₇₀,C₇₆等的抗磁磁化率表现出明显的各向异性特性.     

Atomic force microscopy of C60/C70 single-crystal fullerenes under ethanol

C₆₀/C₇₀ crystal surfaces were imaged by atomic force microscopy under ethanol with resolution of single molecules. Spherical and elongated elliptical fullerenes can be distinguished corresponding most likely with C₆₀, respectively C₇₀. Determination of the maximum diameter for a large number of molecules confirms the presence of two species of fullerenes, one with 9.4 Å, the other with 11.2 Å. The measured ratio C₆₀:C₇₀ is 81:19 which resembles the spectroscopical data. The molecules are arranged either in hexagonal (hcp) or cubic (fcc) packing, in some areas the two arrangements alternate within a few nm. Elongated fullerenes apparently prefer the hexagonal packing.     

Buckminsterfullerene, higher fullerenes, and their endohedral and fluorine derivatives

This paper presents an overview of recent works concerned with determination of the electron affinity (EA) and the ionization energy (IE) for higher fullerenes and their endohedral and fluorine derivatives. The numerical values of the electron affinity are analyzed for higher fullerenes up to C₁₀₆ and lanthanum, gadolinium, and scandium endohedral fullerenes, including Sc₃N@C₈₀. Most attention is concentrated on two methods for producing fluorofullerenes, namely, direct fluorination of fullerenes with molecular fluorine in a manganese difluoride matrix and solid-phase reactions between fullerenes and fluorinating agents capable of donating fluorine to fullerene. The structures of three fluorofullerenes (C₆₀F₁₈, C₆₀F₂₀, and C₆₀F₄₈) characterized by a distortion of the carbon cage due to attachment of functional groups are discussed.     

A theoretical study on the interaction between well curved conjugated systems and fullerenes smaller than C60 or larger than C70

A large body of data exists about the interaction between curved π systems and C₆₀ or C₇₀. However, little is known about the interaction with fullerenes smaller than C₆₀ or larger than C₇₀. To fill that gap, we studied, by means of density functional theory (M06‐2X), the interaction between corannulene, pentaindenocorannulene, C₆₀H₂₈ buckycatcher and the following fullerenes: C₄₄, C₅₀, C₈₀, C₉₀, C₁₀₀, C₁₈₀ and C₂₄₀. For fullerenes smaller than C₆₀, their high reactivity facilitated the covalent addition to the hosts assayed. Yet, the reaction energies determined for the covalent addition were comparable to those calculated for the formation of supramolecular complexes. Thus, the receptor may host a fullerene and at least have another one attached. As expected, for fullerenes larger than C₇₀, supramolecular complexes were preferred over covalent assemblies. The binding energies with bowls increased with the size of the fullerenes in a non‐monotonic fashion since they depended on the shape of the fullerene. Indeed, for one C₈₀ isomer, it is possible to find a region which forms a complex with corannulene that is stronger than C₆₀@corannulene, while another region exists whose interaction with corannulene is weaker. As the size of the fullerene becomes larger, ball–socket interactions are weakened, and CH–π interactions become important, accounting for the large interaction determined for corannulene and graphene. Finally, for the buckycatcher, the maximum encapsulation energy among the fullerenes assayed was displayed by C₉₀. The fullerenes C₈₀, C₉₀ and C₁₀₀ formed complexes with the buckycatcher which are stronger than in C₆₀@buckycatcher. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

HRTEM and EELS investigation of functionalized carbon nanotubes

We have successfully resolved and visualized the structure of some chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). To represent the chemically modified CNT, we selected three systems. The first system is oxidized and surface thiolated MWCNT, the second system is Dy₃N@C₈₀ peapods prepared by depositing trimetal nitride fullerenes into SWCNT. The formed structure is the Dy₃N@C₈₀@SWCNT. The third system is the conventional C₆₀@SWCNT fullerene peapods, fluorinated by xenon difluoride (XeF₂) up to 18% of F. We achieved detection of very low amount (0.6%) of sulfur and proved covalent bonding onto MWCNT surface. We present EELS imaging of the separated metal clusters inside endohedral metallofullerene peapod bundles and in the fluorinated C₆₀ peapods we show homogeneous fluorination across the whole surface.     

A comparative study of ion-induced damages in C60 and C70 fullerenes

The stability of fullerenes (C₆₀ and C₇₀) under swift heavy ion irradiation is investigated. C₆₀ and C₇₀ thin films were irradiated with 120 MeV Ag ions at fluences from 1×10¹² to 3×10¹³ ions/cm². The damage cross-section and radius of damaged cylindrical zone were found to be higher for C₆₀ than C₇₀ as evaluated by Raman spectroscopy, which shows that the C₇₀ molecule is more stable under energetic ion impact. The higher damage cross-section of the C₆₀ molecule compared with that of the C₇₀ molecule is explained on the basis of thermal conductivity in the framework of the thermal spike model. The surface morphology of pristine C₆₀ and C₇₀ films is studied by atomic force microscopy. UV-visible absorption studies revealed that band gap for C₆₀ and C₇₀ fullerenes thin films decreases with increasing ion fluence. Resistivity of C₆₀ and C₇₀ thin films decreases with increasing ion fluence but the decrease is faster for C₆₀ than C₇₀, indicating higher damage in C₆₀. Irradiation at a fluence of 3×10¹³ ions/cm² results in complete damage of fullerenes (C₆₀ and C₇₀) into amorphous carbon.     

Vibrational spectra of lanthanide endofullerenes with different symmetries of molecular structure

Quantum-chemical calculations of the geometric structure and vibrational spectra of lanthanide endofullerenes have been carried out. The vibrational frequencies of lanthanide atoms depend substantially on the symmetry of the molecular structure of the endofullerene and on the distance between the metal atom and the carbon cage. The infrared spectra of the endofullerenes M@C₆₀ contain vibrations that are forbidden by symmetry for the empty fullerene C₆₀. A change in the vibrational spectra due to the encapsulation of a metal atom in fullerenes with a C₆₀ cage is considerably more pronounced than that of the higher fullerenes. In the vibrational spectra, there are lines not characteristic of C₆₀, which indicates the presence of M@C₆₀ endofullerenes in a mixture with C₆₀ fullerenes.     

First observation of optical radiation from fullerenes in the gas phase

Optical radiation of C₆₀ fullerenes in the gas phase was observed. The observed emission line λ=258 nm is identified with an electronic transition into the ground state h _g →h _u in C ₆₀. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 9, 683–687 (10 May 1996)     

Electronic and optical properties of fullerene nanostructures

Two new types of molecular/electronic fullerene nanostructures are considered: 1) highly stable hydrated clusters (I _h symmetry group) and microcrystals (T _h symmetry group) of fullerene C₆₀ in water solution and 2) the single-walled carbon nanotube from C₆₀ fullerenes. The vibrational spectra of these fullerene nanostructures are calculated using molecular dynamics. The electronic properties of a single-walled fullerene nanotube are investigated using the tight-binding method. The theoretical results obtained were compared with available experimental data. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 885–887 (May 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.     

Determination of C60/C70 ratios in fullerene mixtures and film characterization by scanning tunneling microscopy

Fullerene powder mixtures with different C₆₀/C₇₀ ratios have been analyzed by a variety of techniques, and results have been compared. The fullerence mixtures have been characterized as solutions in n-hexane by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Thin films of fullerenes on Au(111) have been prepared from the mixtures by sublimation. The sublimation process has been studied by simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses. Thin fullerene films on Au(111) have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The STM images show primarily two types of ballshaped molecules arranged in a lattice with hexagonal symmetry (fcc(111) face, nearest neighbour distance: 1 nm). The two species differ in diameter. STM images of films made of mixtures of different C₆₀/C₇₀ ratios show that C₇₀ molecules display a larger apparent diameter (0.8 nm) and corrugation than C₆₀ molecules (0.7 nm). The C₆₀/C₇₀ ratios obtained by counting the corresponding molecular species in the STM images of the thin films are compared to the C₆₀/C₇₀ ratios determined by HPLC on hexane solutions of the mixtures. The observed differences might be explained by different rates of sublimation for the two species. The STM images reveal film defects (vacancies and boundaries) and dynamic processes (displacement of C₇₀ molecules and vacancies). In films prepared to have a C₆₀ coverage of less than one monolayer, stable structural units of the C₆₀(111) surface consisting of three or seven C₆₀ molecules are revealed by STM. Occasionally, substructure within individual fullerene molecules is observed.     

A study of carbon nanosystems using the Hubbard model

The Hubbard model is used as a framework for analyzing carbon nanosystems: the fullerenes C₆₀ and C₈₀ and open-ended carbon nanotubes with chiralities (5, 5) and (10, 10) of various lengths. In the strong-correlation limit, the model predicts that open carbon nanotubes have a lower energy per atom as compared to C₆₀ and C₈₀ fullerenes. This finding contradicts the conventional view that dangling bonds increase the energy of a system. However, the increase, if any, is due to the presence of five-member carbon rings in fullerenes. The energy per atom should be higher for the five-member carbon ring compared to the six-member one, because the former cannot exist in a lower energy singlet state. Carbon nanotube growth is explained. The ionization energies and electron affinities of C₆₀ and C₈₀ fullerenes are calculated and found to agree well with experimental data.     

The oxidation of fullerenes (C<Subscript>60</Subscript>, C<Subscript>70</Subscript>) with various oxidants under ultrasonication

The reaction of C₆₀, under ultrasonication, with various oxidants, such as 3-chloroperoxy benzoic acid (Fluka 99%), 4-methyl morpholine N-oxide (Aldrich 97%), chromium (VI) oxide (Aldrich 99.9%), and the oxone® monopersulfate compound, causes the oxidation of fullerenes at room temperature. The FAB-MS spectra and HPLC profile confirmed that the products of fullerene oxidation were [C₆₀(O)_n] (n=1～3 or n=1). C₇₀ also reacted, under ultrasonication, with various oxidants, but the reaction rate of C₇₀ was lower than that of C₆₀.     

Modulation of the work function of fullerenes C60 and C70 by alkali-metal adsorption: A theoretical study

The impact of alkali-metal (Li/Na/Cs) adsorption on work function of fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀ was investigated by first-principles calculations. After adsorption, the work functions of fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀ decrease distinctly and vary linearly with the electronegativity of the alkali metal elements, and the positions where the alkali atoms are adsorbed considerably influence the work functions. On the contrary, a vacancy defect elevates the work functions of the fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀. The variation in the work functions rests with variation in Fermi level (which are attributed to charge transfer) and variation in vacuum levels (which are attributed to the induced dipole moments). Moreover, alkali-metal adsorption can also improve the electric conductivity of a fullerene mixture of C₆₀ and C₇₀.     

Small-angle neutron scattering in aqueous solutions of fullerene-containing oligopropylene oxides

Propylene-oxide oligomers in heavy water (their molecular mass is ～500, and the concentration C varies from ～0.6 to 5.0 g/dL) and similar systems with C₆₀ and C₇₀ fullerenes and C₆₀(OH) _x fullerenols (x ～ 20), i.e., functionalized oligopropylene oxides, are studied via small-angle neutron scattering. The initial oligomers are found to create spherical micelles (～40 molecules) in the solution. It is ascertained that, in oligopropylene-oxide solutions, the C₆₀, C₇₀, and C₆₀(OH) _x derivatives (～1 wt % of fullerene relative to the oligomer) modify its molecular organization, acting as physical bonds whereby micelles are joined into large-scale linear, twisted, and branched chain superstructures.     

Influence of defects in the carbon network on the static polarizability of fullerenes

The static polarizability of the C₆₀, C₇₀, C₈₀, and C₁₈₆ fullerenes has been calculated within the semiempirical MNDO approximation implemented in the MOPAC quantum-chemical program package. It is demonstrated that the results obtained are comparable with experimental data and the results of the ab initio B3LYP method using the 6–31G(d, p) basis set. The influence of topological defects (five-, seven-, and eight-membered rings), vacancies produced by removing pentagons, and nitrogen and boron atoms on the geometric parameters and the polarizability of the C₆₀, C₂₄₀, and C₅₄₀ fullerenes has been investigated by the MNDO method. It is revealed that the polarizability of the fullerene with topological defects is higher than the polarizability of the perfect icosahedral fullerene. The formation of vacancies in the carbon cage leads to a linear decrease in the polarizability of the fullerene and an increase in the specific polarizability. The polarizability of the heterofullerene with nitrogen or boron atoms spaced apart in the carbon cage is higher than that of the fullerene with heteroatoms located adjacent to each other.     

Green and rapid preparation of long-term stable aqueous dispersions of fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes: The pros and cons of an ultrasonic probe

A green, scalable, and sustainable approach to prepare aqueous fullerene dispersions (AFD) C₆₀, C₇₀, endohedral metallofullerene Gd@C₈₂, and their derivatives C₆₀Cl₆, C₇₀Cl₁₀, and supramolecular and ester-like derivatives, 10 fullerene species total, is proposed. For the first time, an immersed ultrasonic probe was used to preparing dispersions for pristine fullerenes without addends. Both ultrasound-assisted solvent-exchange and direct sonication techniques for AFD preparation using an immersed probe were tested. The average time for AFD preparation decreases 10–15 times compared to an ultrasound-bath-assisted technique, while final fullerene concentrations in AFDs remained at tens of ppm (up to 80 ppm). The aqueous dispersions showed long-term stability, a negatively charged surface with a zeta potential up to –32 mV with an average nanocluster diameter of no more than 180 nm. The total anionic and cationic compositions of samples were found by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques. The highlights and challenges of using an ultrasound probe for AFD production are discussed.     

Quasi-one-dimensional fullerene-nanotube composites: Structure, formation energetics, and electronic properties

Carbon nanotubes coated with close-packed C₆₀ (or C₇₀) fullerenes, which are “attached” to the nanotubes by van der Waals forces, are considered and classified as a new class of nanocomposites. Semiempirical and molecular-dynamics calculations reveal the most energetically stable systems and show that a topological (Stone-Wales) defect on a nanotube can promote a more favorable “attachment” of fullerene to the nanotube. It has been shown that the molecular interaction of the fullerene coating with the nanotube leads to a significant change in its electronic spectrum, namely, to the formation of minibands including a large number of branches associated with the lift of the degeneracy of levels of C₆₀ and to the consolidation of branches of the carbon nanotube into the Brillouin zone smaller than that in the carbon nanotube. This fact should strongly change the interaction of light with such a nanocomposite as compared to carbon nanotubes and fullerenes, which provides prospect of its application in photovoltaics.