Supramolecular self-assembled fullerene nanostructures.
Four ionic fullerene derivatives, which are relatively soluble in polar solvents, are shown to organize into morphologically different nanoscale structures. Spheres, nanorods, and nanotubules form in water depending on the side chain appendage of the fullerene spheroid. Images at different nanoscale structures were obtained via transmission electron microscopy. Also, computer simulations were used for investigating the relative spatial arrangements. The efficient method to fabricate almost perfect and uniformly shaped nanotubular crystals, which order spontaneously by self-assembly, opens the way to the possibility of exploiting the fullerene properties at the nanometer scale.
Georgakilas
Vasilios
V
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
Pellarini
Federica
F
Prato
Maurizio
M
Guldi
Dirk M
DM
Melle-Franco
Manuel
M
Zerbetto
Francesco
F
D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization; D019281:Dimerization; D037741:Fullerenes; D007477:Ions; D007700:Kinetics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000737:chemistry
D037741:Fullerenes; D007477:Ions; D011166:Porphyrins; D002244:Carbon; C069837:fullerene C60