Tree-shaped C60/C60-ferrocene crystals by kinetically controlled LLIP process

Abstract

Among the one-dimensional C60 crystals, vertically aligned microtubes on the porous alumina substrates provide several interesting features including their well developed hexagonal cross sections and hollow internal structures. These characteristic structures of vertically aligned C60 microtubes are caused by their well developed crystals structures and can be predicted by classical nucleation and growth theory. Therefore, the variation of its chemical composition by doping or alloying or variation of kinetic environments during the growth can causes variety of structural changes from vertically aligned hexagonal microtubes. The morphology of vertically aligned C60 microtubes is modified by controlling kinetic factors and including of lattice defects. The controlling kinetic factors by modified injection mode of 2-propanol gives various inner structure of vertically aligned C60 microtubes such as filled inner structure, double walled inner structure and porous inner structures. The addition of lattice defects by inclusion of ferrocene doped C60 gives tree-shaped C60 crystals with many branches consisting of bundles of thin needles. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.