Recently, organic donor−acceptor (D−A) cocrystals have attracted special interest as functional materials because of their unique chemical and physical properties that are not exhibited by simple mixtures of their components. Herein, we report the preparation of one-dimensional novel D−A cocrystals from C 60 and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)porphyrin (3,5-TPP); these cocrystals have near-infrared (NIR) light-sensing abilities, despite each of their component molecule individually having no NIR light-sensing properties. Micrometer-sized rectangular columnar C 60 -3,5-TPP cocrystals were produced by a simple liquid−liquid interfacial precipitation method. The cocrystals exhibit a new strong transition in the NIR region indicative of the existence of chargetransfer interactions between C 60 and 3,5-TPP in the cocrystals. The C 60 -3,5-TPP cocrystals showed n-type transport characteristics with NIR light-sensing properties when the cocrystals were incorporated in bottom-gate/bottom-contact organic phototransistors, revealing that organic cocrystals with suitable charge-transfer interaction are useful as functional materials for the creation of novel NIR-light-sensing devices.

The lengths and diameters of C 60 nanowhiskers (C 60 NWs) grown in solutions were investigated relative to the inner diameter of the glass bottle and the solution volume while maintaining the volumetric ratio of C 60-saturated toluene and isopropyl alcohol at 1:1. The mean lengths and diameters of the C 60 NWs increased, and the distribution of the lengths and diameters broadened when increasing the solution volume. The mean crystal nucleus size of the C 60 NWs was determined by analyzing the size dependence of C 60 NWs on the solution volume. The lengths and diameters of C 60 NWs asymptotically approach their upper limits when increasing the solution volume.

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Superconductivity in alkali metal-doped fullerene nanowhiskers (C60NWs) was observed in K3.3C60NWs, Rb3.0C60NWs and Cs2.0Rb1.0C60NWs with transition temperatures at 17, 25 and 26 K, respectively. Almost full shielding volume fraction (~80%) was observed in K3.3C60NWs when subjected to thermal treatment at 200 °C for a duration of 24 h. In contrast, the shielding fraction of Rb3.0C60NWs and Cs2.0Rb1.0C60NWs were calculated to be 8% and 6%, respectively. Here we report on an extensive investigation of the superconducting properties of these AC60NWs (A  =  K3.3, Rb3.0 and Cs2.0Rb1.0). These properties are compared to the ones reported on the corresponding conventional (single-crystal or powder) K-doped fullerene. We also evaluated the critical current densities of these C60NWs using the Bean model under an applied magnetic field up to 50 kOe.

Recently, cocrystals containing organic donors and acceptors have been explored as active elements in organic field-effect transistors (FETs). Herein, we report the ambipolar charge transport properties of C60/ferrocene (C60/Fc) single...

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Tubular fullerene nanowhiskers called 'fullerene nanotubes' are composed of C 60 fullerene molecules (C 60 NTs) are synthesized at room temperature using the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method in the pyridine and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) system. The growth control of fullerene nanotubes is important for their chemical and physical properties as well as for their future applications. In the present study, we investigated the effect of light, water, solvent ratio and temperature on the synthesis of C 60 nanotubes. A marked development in the yield of C 60 NTs was achieved using dehydrated solvents, a solution with a volume ratio of 1:9 for pyridine: IPA, a growth temperature equal to 5 • C and by illuminating the C 60-pyridine solution with ultraviolet light (wavelength 302 nm) for 102 h. The synthesized fullerene nanotubes were characterized by different analytical techniques including Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical microscopy, focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

We have investigated the adsorption of some amino acids and an oligopeptide by fullerene (C60) and fullerene nanowhiskers (FNWs). C60 and FNWs hardly adsorbed amino acids. Most of the amino acids used have a hydrophobic side chain. Ala and Val, with an alkyl chain, were not adsorbed by the C60 or FNWs. Trp, Phe and Pro, with a cyclic structure, were not adsorbed by them either. The aromatic group of C60 did not interact with the side chain. The carboxyl or amino group, with the frame structure of an amino acid, has a positive or negative charge in solution. It is likely that the C60 and FNWs would not prefer the charged carboxyl or amino group. Tri-Ala was adsorbed slightly by the C60 and FNWs. The carboxyl or amino group is not close to the center of the methyl group of Tri-Ala. One of the methyl groups in Tri-Ala would interact with the aromatic structure of the C60 and FNWs. We compared our results with the theoretical interaction of 20 bio-amino acids with C60. The theoretical simulations showed the bonding distance between C60 and an amino acid and the dissociation energy. The dissociation energy was shown to increase in the order, Val < Phe < Pro < Asp < Ala < Trp < Tyr < Arg < Leu. However, the simulation was not consistent with our experimental results. The adsorption of albumin (a protein) by C60 showed the effect on the side chains of Try and Trp. The structure of albumin was changed a little by C60. In our study Try and Tyr were hardly adsorbed by C60 and FNWs. These amino acids did not show a different adsorption behavior compared with other amino acids. The adsorptive behavior of mono-amino acids might be different from that of polypeptides.