Formation and ageing of the fullerene C60 colloids in polar organic solvents

•The colloidal species of C60 in benzene-acetonitrile mixtures are inclined to ageing.•The slow formation and further ageing may be followed by DLS and UV-visible spectra.•The negative charge of the colloidal species is caused by the radical processes.

In this paper, the formation and ageing of C60 colloids in acetonitrile and benzene-acetonitrile mixed solvents is considered. The peculiarities of these processes are studied using the UV- and visible spectroscopy, dynamic and static light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, electrophoretic measurements, electrospray spectroscopy, and monitoring of the particles size with time. The negative charge of the colloidal species is proved to be a result of formation of free radicals.

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