Abstract Title

Effects of Solvent Addition and Removal on Buckminsterfullerene Colloid Synthesis

Additional Funding Sources

The project described was supported by the National Science Foundation under CHE - 1522036, Boise State University, and the American Chemical Society project SEED Program.

Abstract

Buckminsterfullerene, often known as C60, has the ability to form stable aqueous colloids in water. Size and concentration are difficult to control in the synthesis of colloidal buckminsterfullerene (nC60), particularly when using the HIPA (hexane/isopropyl alcohol/water) solvent addition and removal method. The solid buckminsterfullerene is added to a good solvent for it (hexane), and then is gradually evaporated and transferred into a worse solvent. This process continues until nC60 is formed and is suspendible in water. The system for synthesizing nC60 is complex and contains many variables that can affect the size and concentration of nC60. By focusing on a specific variable such as solvent addition rate for example, we can better understand the colloidal system. Through Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, it was found that altering the addition rate of solvents to the HIPA sample resulted in different distributions. As a result, the faster drip rate sample had a tighter and steeper distribution, while the slower addition rate had a wider distribution. The average size of colloids in the fast addition was 99 nanometers and the average colloid size of the slow addition rate was 166 nanometers.

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Effects of Solvent Addition and Removal on Buckminsterfullerene Colloid Synthesis

Buckminsterfullerene, often known as C60, has the ability to form stable aqueous colloids in water. Size and concentration are difficult to control in the synthesis of colloidal buckminsterfullerene (nC60), particularly when using the HIPA (hexane/isopropyl alcohol/water) solvent addition and removal method. The solid buckminsterfullerene is added to a good solvent for it (hexane), and then is gradually evaporated and transferred into a worse solvent. This process continues until nC60 is formed and is suspendible in water. The system for synthesizing nC60 is complex and contains many variables that can affect the size and concentration of nC60. By focusing on a specific variable such as solvent addition rate for example, we can better understand the colloidal system. Through Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, it was found that altering the addition rate of solvents to the HIPA sample resulted in different distributions. As a result, the faster drip rate sample had a tighter and steeper distribution, while the slower addition rate had a wider distribution. The average size of colloids in the fast addition was 99 nanometers and the average colloid size of the slow addition rate was 166 nanometers.