Structure and Morphology Characteristics of Fullerene C₆₀Nanotubes Fabricated with<i>N</i>-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a Good Solvent

Abstract

Fullerene C 60 nanotubes (FNTs) were prepared via liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation using N -methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) as precipitation agent at 8 ° C. C 60 -saturated NMP solutions were exposed to visible light to promote the growth of FNTs. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that fibers prepared in the NMP/IPA system show three different morphologies. On the basis of the different morphologies of fullerene C 60 nanofibers (FNFs), a possible growth mechanism to describe the formation process of FNTs is proposed.