C 60 Nanowhiskers Formed by the Liquid–liquid Interfacial Precipitation Method

Fine needlelike crystals of C 6 0 have been formed by a liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method which uses an interface of the concentrated toluene solution of C 6 0 /isopropyl alcohol. The needlelike crystals of C 6 0 with a diameter of submicrons ("C 6 0 nanowhiskers") were found to be single crystalline and composed of thin slabs with a thickness of about 10 nm. The intermolecular distance of the C 6 0 nanowhiskers was found to be shortened along the growth axis as compared with the pristine C 6 0 crystals, indicating a formation of strong bonding between C 6 0 molecules. The C 6 0 nanowhiskers are assumed to be polymerized via the "2 + 2" cycloaddition in the close-packed [110] c direction.