Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructural Materials by Neutron Irradiation Catalysis

The multidisciplinary study of nanosciences using radiochemistry as probes is not only the application of radiochemistry in nanosciences, but also the development of radiochemistry itself. We report here a new method for synthesis of all-carbon fullerene dimmers, established with neutron irradiation of fullerenes, including the experimental design, neutron irradiation, separation and isolation, and characterizations. With irradiation of nuclear reactor neutrons, we have established a method for syntheses all-carbon fullerene dimers, C121, C131, and C141 that are difficult to produce by chemical approaches. The results may open a way for syntheses of fullerene dimmer, trimer, or even polymer materials which have promising appliacations in various field like artifical photosynthesis, molecular device and supermolecular chemistry, etc.