Synthesis and characterization of various-shaped C60 microcrystals using alcohols as antisolvents

Abstract

Solvent-based synthetic methods of fullerene nano/microstructures are known to enhance and utilize unique optical and electrical properties of fullerene structures. Here, we report the systematic synthesis and characterization of various-shaped fullerene microcrystals using alcohols as antisolvents in drowning-out crystallization. The microcrystals are formed in one-, two-, and three-dimensional structures depending on the alcohol type, and the size and shape of the microcrystals are also varied by the C60 concentration and the volume ratio of the solvents. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrate that the crystalline structures differ from the chain lengths of alcohols. It is suggested that the formation mechanisms are driven by supersaturation related to the C60 solubility in alcohols. This crystallization could allow for production of C60 microcrystals with the desired shape and crystalline structure, leading to potential applications in optoelectronics and photoconducting devices.