Abstract
Low-molecular-weight acid vapors cause aging and destruction in material processing. In this paper, facile fabrication of novel corn-husk-shaped fullerene C60 crystals (CHFCs) through the dynamic liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation method is reported. The CHFCs were grown at the liquid–liquid interface between isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and a saturated solution of C60 in mesitylene under ambient temperature and pressure conditions. The average length, outer diameter, and inner diameter of CHFCs were ca. 2.88 μm, 672 nm, and 473 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the CHFCs exhibit a mixed face-centered cubic (fcc) and hexagonal-close pack (hcp) crystal phases with lattice parameters a = 1.425 nm, V = 2.899 nm3 for fcc phase and a = 2.182 nm, c = 0.936 nm, a/c ratio = 2.33, and V = 3.859 nm3 for hcp phase. The CHFCs possess mesoporous structure as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen sorption analysis. The specific surface area and the pore volume were ca. 57.3 m2 g−1 and 0.149 cm3 g−1, respectively, are higher than the nonporous pristine fullerene C60. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensing results show the excellent sensing performance CHFCs sensitive to acetic acid vapors due to the enhanced diffusion via mesoporous architecture and hollow structure of the CHFCs, demonstrating the potential of the material for the development of a new sensor system for aliphatic acid vapors sensing.
Highlights
Volatile organic acids, mostly known as low-carbon number corrosive acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, are considered as detrimental factors for human diseases [1], beverage industry [2,3,4], and metal-aging protection [5,6]
A selective acid detector is supposed to discriminate the aimed compound from others, which are of similar molecule weight and chemical properties like formic acid and acetic acid
This study reports the vapor sensing performances of the self-assembled corn-huskshaped fullerene C60 crystal (CHFCs) fabricated by a dynamic liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation (DLLIP) method under ambient temperature and pressure conditions
Summary
Mostly known as low-carbon number corrosive acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, are considered as detrimental factors for human diseases [1], beverage industry [2,3,4], and metal-aging protection [5,6]. Carbon-based nanostructures have attracted significant attention in academia as a fabulous tool for developing gas sensors [13,14] which have good prospects for low-energy consumption and cost-effective properties. Out of the demand for synthesis and fabrication of functional materials such as energy storage, environment protection, and device technology, Chemosensors 2022, 10, 16.
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