GENERATION OF NANOPHASE FULLERENE PARTICLES VIA AEROSOL ROUTES

Nanocrystalline and nanometer-size fullerene particles have been gener ated by aerosol routes starting from a solution of mixed fullerene ext ract in toluene. Nanocrystalline fullerene particles have been produce d by spray drying, and ultrafine particles have been formed by vapor c ondensation. Gas-phase particle size distributions were determined wit h a differential mobility analyzer, and particle morphology and crysta llinity were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopie s. When the processing temperature was increased from 20 to 400 degree s C, the average particle size was reduced from 140 to 100 nm due to p article densification. At higher temperatures of 500 and 600 degrees C , nanometer-size (about 20 nm), spherical fullerene particles were for med via vapor condensation. Transmission electron microscopy analysis indicated that a few nanometer-size crystallites were formed already a t 200 degrees C and the crystallite size was increased to about 10 nm at 500 degrees C.