Effect of ethanol on the structure and aggregation properties of C₆₀ fullerenes

This study investigated the effect of ethanol on the structure and aggregation properties of C₆₀ fullerenes using an atomic force microscope. The fullerenes were dissolved in ethanol with different concentrations (0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 100%) and deposited on silicon substrate for further analysis. The results showed that the size of molecular aggregates of fullerenes increased significantly with increasing ethanol concentration, starting from 15-20 nm in the absence of ethanol and reaching 80-100 nm at 100% ethanol. At the same time, the structure of the aggregates became more friable, indicating the solvent effect of ethanol. The interaction force measurements showed that the adhesion force of fullerenes to the substrate decreased with increasing ethanol concentration, indicating a weakening of adhesion and molecular interactions. These data confirm the significant effect of ethanol on the physicochemical properties of fullerenes and can be used to develop nanomaterials with variable structural characteristics.