Compression-dependent structural changes of functionalized fullerene monolayers

Surface pressure vs surface area isotherm, Brewster angle microscopic, and atomic force microscopic measurements provided evidence for the formation of a stable monolayer upon the compression, up to 35 mN/m, of hexaethyl-1,2:18,36:22,23-tris(methano[60]fullerenere-61,61,62,62,63,63-hexacarboxylate), e,e,e-C-60[C(COOEt)(2)](3), on the water surface in a Langmuir film balance. Compression to higher pressures reorganized the monolayers into bilayers and resulted ultimately in the irreversible transformation to rods (1 mu m diameter and up to 100 mu m long) with porous and oriented structures.