It is of common knowledge that fullerenes form colloids in polar solvents. However, the coagulation via electrolytes and the origin of the negative charge of species are still unexplored. Using a 'radical scavenger' and electrospray ionization spectroscopy (ESI), we proved the formation of ion-radical C 60 À and its (probable) transformation into C 60 2À or (C 60 ) 2 2À.

This study was aimed to reveal the principal colloidal properties of the aqueous dispersion of extremely small primary single-crystalline diamond particles in water. Together with the non-diamond layer, the size of the colloidal species is 2.8 ± 0.6 nm as found via DLS of the initial 5.00 wt/vol% hydrosol. Anionic dyes are readily adsorbed on the colloidal species. This is in line with the positive zeta-potential. The critical coagulation concentrations of the 0.19 wt/vol% nanodiamond hydrosol were determined with a set of inorganic electrolytes and anionic surfactants. The data are in line with the Schulze-Hardy rule for "positive" sols. The fulfillment of the lyotropic (Hofmeister) series was also observed for single-charged anions. The abnormal influence of alkali gives evidence of the acidic nature of the positive charge of the nanodiamond species. Application of acid-base indicators allows estimating the value of the interfacial electrical potential of the nanodiamond particles. Upon dilution from 5.00% to 0.01%, the colloidal system under study exhibits unusual changes. The average size increases ca. ten-fold as determined by DLS. The TEM images support this observation. At the same time, the viscosity drops. This phenomenon was explained in terms of the so-called periodic colloidal structures (colloidal crystals) in concentrated solutions.

Contrary to numerous studies on the stability of fullerene aqueous colloidal solutions in the presence of electrolytes, the corresponding issue for the organosols was until recently almost unexplored. In this article, the state of C in methyl alcohol and the regularities of the coagulation of colloidal solution in this solvent were examined in the presence of electrolytes. Alcosols with a fullerene concentration of 4 × 10 M were prepared by the dilution of the C saturated solution in toluene by methanol. The ca. 300 nm-sized aggregates possess a negative electrokinetic potential value, ζ = -37 ± 8 mV. To determine the critical coagulation concentrations, CCC, the size increase of the species was followed up using the dynamic light scattering method. The analysis of the coagulation in terms of the Fuchs function, W, was accompanied by zeta potential monitoring. The consideration of the data for 1:1 electrolytes NaClO and N(n-CH)ClO allows a rough estimate of the Hamaker constant of fullerene-fullerene attraction. Whereas in the case of these two electrolytes the colloidal species are negatively charged at the CCC, expressed overcharging of up to ζ = +36 mV by H, Ca, Ba, and La ions was observed. The action of HClO should be attributed to the interfacial acid-base reaction, whereas the excessive attraction of metal cations is caused by poor solvation in methanol; the negative charge is restored when the metal cations are shielded by a macrocyclic ligand.

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A chiral spin crossover complex was obtained in the form of nanoparticles and gels that undergo a cooperative spin state switch around room temperature.