Photo-assisted growth of C60 nanowhiskers from solution

Photo-assisted growth of C-60 nanowhiskerS (C(60)NWs) by the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method was demonstrated with various wavelengths of ultraviolet-visible light. It is found that the growth rate of C(60)NWs strongly depends oil the wavelength of the illumunation light. The growth rate of C(60)NWs is significantly promoted by the light illumination with only wavelengths between 600 and 625 nm. The number of long C(60)NWs reaches a maximum at 600 nm. The origin of photo-assisted C60NW growth is discussed in the light of the mechanism of optical absorption in C-60 solution. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.