Vertically well-aligned C60 microtube crystal array prepared using a solution-based, one-step process

A simple one-step solution-based process for preparing vertically aligned crystalline C60 microtube arrays was demonstrated. 2-propanol was injected into a C60 solution from the bottom through an AAO membrane, mixing with toluene solution to induce supersaturation of C60. Supersaturation near the substrate resulted in the heterogeneous nucleation of C60 crystals as the membrane has suitable heterogeneous nucleation sites. The outer diameter of the microtubes ranged from 10 to 30μm, the wall thickness ranged from 1 to 3μm, when fabricated with a 2-propanol injection rate of 0.02 mL/min into 2 mL of a C60/toluene solution, and the length of microtubes was 500μm. The surface of the substrate was showed that C60 microtube grew on the substrate with a clear faceted outer surface and X-ray diffraction images of the vertically aligned C60 microtube crystals indicated that they were highly crystalline.