Pure nanoscale carbon crystals produced from ‘buckyball’
University of Surrey researchers have found a way to make ultra-small, pure carbon crystals formed entirely from the spherical carbon ‘buckyball’ molecule C60.
The method involves mixing two liquids together – one of which contains C60, at low temperature. Lozenge shaped crystals can be quickly obtained with widths down to 80nm – around 100,000 times smaller than the width of a pencil, and much smaller than previously thought possible with this method.
The electronic properties of the C60 molecules that make up the small crystals are particularly important to the development of new nanoelectronic devices such as solar cells and gas sensors. It is therefore possible this advance could allow researchers to accelerate the development of these nanotechnologies based on this simple method of creating high purity, ultra small C60 components.
The C60 crystals, known as fullerites, are produced in high yield and their shape controlled through the variation of solvent, concentration and temperature. The ability to produce large qualities of fullerites raises the potential for their incorporation into devices to enhance a desired property. Possible applications of fullerite rods include adsorbents, catalysts and membranes due to their relatively highsurface area to volume ration. Potential electronic devices that may benefit from such materials include n-type organic transistors due to the relatively high electron mobility of the C60 (~0.1cm – 1s-1), optical devices, thin film organic solar cells, organic light emitting diodes and photodetectors.
Dr Richard Curry, who led the research, explained: “The results of this work are of immediate significance to a wide range of technologies that use organic materials. These new nanoscale carbon materials will allow us to continue to develop enhanced devices such as sensors and solar cells to address the grand challenges facing society today.”
Read more on: carbon, crystals, Electronics, fullerites, nanoelectronics, nanotechnology
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