A new form of mesoporous silica with a surface area of 600 m(2) g(-1),
mean pore radius of 5.4 nm and total pore volume of 1.9 ml g(-1) upta
kes C-60 in toluene; on removal of toluene or the addition of fulleren
e complexing agents the C-60 undergoes aggregation within the silica,
identified by an interfullerene resonant transition at ca. 450 nm.