DISSOLUTION AND REDUCTION BEHAVIOR OF C-60 FILMS

Electrochemistry of fullerenes has recently attracted much attention. Films of C-60, which was prepared on the electrode by solution casting , exhibit unique voltammetric behavior. Thin films of C-60, have been studied by cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential electrolysis in acetonitrile solutions containing tetraalkylammonium salts (R = CH3, C2H5, C4H9) as supporting electrolytes. The dissolution and redepositi on behavior of C-60(-n)(n=1,2) was investigated by dual electrochemica l cells with bipotentialstat. The doping processes were found to be qu asi-reversible and dissolution was observed during continuous potentia l cycling. A fraction of the dissolved C-60 anion was redeposited on t he second working electrode without applied potential nearby the first working electrode. The cyclic voltammetric behavior of the redeposite d C-60 films was different from the original films. This behavior may be caused by the different physical state of films which is very thin and porous. The morphology of the redeposited film and original film w as investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy.