Georgakilas V, Pellarini F, Prato M, Guldi DM, Melle-Franco M, Zerbetto F. Supramolecular self-assembled fullerene nanostructures.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002;
99:5075-80. [PMID:
11959958 PMCID:
PMC122724 DOI:
10.1073/pnas.072006599]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2002] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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