Chemiluminescence in the ozonation of C60 aqueous dispersions

Two types of chemiluminescence (CL) arising upon ozonation of crystalline, amorphous, and molecular aqueous dispersions of C₆₀ prepared in different ways were discovered and studied. The weak long-wavelength CL-1 (λ_max > 650 nm) is due to thermocatalytic decomposition of ozone on the surface of fullerene micro- and nanoparticles. The bright short-wavelength CL-2 (λ_max = 570 nm) is caused by generation of electronically excited states of the products of C₆₀ oxidation with ozone. CL-1 appears upon ozonation of aqueous dispersions of C₆₀ consisting of surface-hydrated crystalline micro- and nanoparticles by low concentrations of ozone. CL-2 is exhibited upon ozonation of nano-sized C₆₀ aqueous dispersions and colloid solutions, which contain C₆₀ molecules surrounded by a strong aqueous shell and their associates, by higher concentrations of ozone. Owing to shielding by the hydration shell, C₆₀ fullerene in aqueous dispersions is much less reactive towards ozone and forms oxidation products of different composition as compared with C₆₀ in organic solvents.