Fullerene as an adsorbent for gases and vapours

Abstract

Gas–solid partition coefficients of 22 solute gases and vapours on a sample of fullerene have been obtained by a chromatographic method, elution by characteristic point. Analysis of these coefficients by the solvation equation of Abraham shows that solute dipolarity/polarisability, and hydrogen-bond acidity, as well as general dispersion interactions can influence adsorption; the fullerene is weakly polarisable, and has some hydrogen-bond basicity, commensurate with its behaviour as a giant closed-cage alkene rather than an aromatic molecule.