Ordering of Hydroxylated Fullerenes in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Fullerenols' C₆₀(OH)_X self-assembly in aqueous solutions (25°C, pH = 5–8) has been studied by small-angle neutron scattering. The solution of C₆₀(OH)_X (X ∼ 20, content C_F = 0.5 mg/ml, pH = 5) has shown the increase of short-range order by the addition of Na-citrates, while the Na-phosphates have induced the formation of two-level structures with tiny particles (size ∼ 6 nm) packed into large clusters (gyration radius ∼ 30 nm, fullerenols' volume fraction ∼ 50%). The observed peculiarities of fullerenes association are important for the development of their medical applications.

Keywords:

• Fullerenols
• self-assembly
• neutron
• scattering