Hybrid materials with an increased resistance to hard X-rays using fullerenes as radical sponges.
The protection of organic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials from X-ray damage is a fundamental technological issue for broadening the range of applications of these materials. In the present article it is shown that doping hybrid films with fullerenes C(60) gives a significant reduction of damage upon exposure to hard X-rays generated by a synchrotron source. At low X-ray dose the fullerene molecules act as `radical scavengers', considerably reducing the degradation of organic species triggered by radical formation. At higher doses the gradual hydroxylation of the fullerenes converts C(60) into fullerol and a bleaching of the radical sinking properties is observed.
Laboratorio di Scienza dei Materiali e Nanotecnologie LMNT, Università di Sassari, CR-INSTM, CNBS, Palazzo Pou Salit, Piazza Duomo 6, 07041 Alghero (Sassari), Italy.
Alessandra
A
Pinna
Luca
L
Malfatti
Massimo
M
Piccinini
Paolo
P
Falcaro
Plinio
P
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