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Formation Kinetics of Aqueous Suspensions of Fullerenes:Meeting in New Orleans.
Citation:
MA, X. AND D. BOUCHARD. Formation Kinetics of Aqueous Suspensions of Fullerenes:Meeting in New Orleans. Presented at American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 06 - 10, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
This study represents an initial step in understanding fullerene environmental fate, and is the first detailed investigation of the effects of solution chemistry on the kinetics of fullerene colloid formation in aqueous systems.
Description:
Stable colloidal suspension of C60 is commonly achieved through various solvent exchange techniques. Nevertheless, the additives such as tetrahydrofuran may be retained in the C60 aggregates, which may influence the surface properties of the suspension. In this study, colloidal suspensions of C60, C70 and a derivative of C60, PCBM ([6,6]-Phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester) were produced by extended mixing with water. This method is more environmentally relevant since it represents the behavior of nanomaterials in natural systems. We examined the contribution of background solution chemistry (pH, ionic strength) on the formation kinetics of colloidal suspensions in terms of mass, size and surface charge (zeta potential). These parameters are also compared between free-settling and filtered treatments.