To distinguish fullerene C60 nanotubes and C60 nanowhiskers using Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopic measurements were carried out for fullerene C60 nanotubes (FNTs) and nanowhiskers (FNWs) with a laser of 514 nm at power density of 20 mW/mm2 in their solution and air-dried states. It is found that the Raman spectroscopic features of FNWs are very similar to those of FNTs in the solution. However, the Raman peak of pentagonal pinch mode Ag(2) of the C60 was quite different between the air-dried FNTs and FNWs upon laser irradiation. The Raman results implied that compared to the FNWs, the FNTs were more easily transformed to a glassy graphitic phase under the laser irradiation in air atmosphere.