Synthesis of C60 nanotubes by liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation method: Influence of solvent ratio, growth temperature, and light illumination

Nanotubes composed of C60 fullerene molecules (C60NTs) were synthesized at ambient pressure and temperature using a modified liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation (LLIP) method in the system of C60–pyridine and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). A marked improvement in the formation of C60NTs was achieved by illuminating the initial C60–pyridine solution with visible light (VIS, 436 nm) and ultraviolet light (UV, 302 nm). It was also found that the growth and diameter of C60NTs are influenced by the combined effect of solvent ratio and incubation temperature. We present a simple approach of fabricating C60NTs designed to optimize rapid growth and to control diameter distributions useful for further discoveries of their chemical and physical properties and in the advancement of their possible applications in nanotechnology. The collected C60NTs were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy.