Structural characterization of the C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] whiskers prepared by the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method

Fine whiskers of a C-60 derivative, i.e., C-60 monosubstituted by ethyl ester of malonic acid, C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)], were fabricated for the first time using a system of toluene with concentrated C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] and isopropyl alcohol. The center-to-center distance of C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] molecules along the close-packed direction of the C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] whiskers was in the same range as that of the C-60 nanowhiskers prepared by the same method. The C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] whiskers were assumed to take body-centered tetragonal or hexagonal close-packed crystal structures. The C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] whiskers showed a high density of stacking faults. The C-60[C(COOC2H5)(2)] whiskers with the growth direction different from the C-60 whiskers were observed.