Synthesis and Properties of Fullerene Nanowhiskers and Fullerene Nanotubes

Fine needle-like crystals of C-60, "C-60 nanowhiskers," were discovered in 2001 in a colloidal solution of PZT ceramics added with C-60 Not only the C-60 nanowhiskers; but also the nanowhiskers composed of C-70 and C-60 derivatives can be synthesized at room temperature by using the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method (LLIP method). Tubular fullerene nanowhiskers, "fullerene nanotubes:' composed of C-60 and C-70 molecules can be synthesized by the LLIP method as well. These fullerene nanofibers; are pure carbon semiconductors and have wide potential applications in the fields of electronics, optics, MEMS, catalysts, energy and environment. The fullerene nanofibers are now establishing a new scientific field of nanomaterials for the coming all carbon device age. In this paper, the synthesis and various novel properties of fullerene nanofibers are presented.