C70 Nanowhiskers Fabricated by Forming Liquid/Liquid Interfaces in the Systems of Toluene Solution of C70 and Isopropyl Alcohol

C₇₀ whiskers with submicrometer diameters (C₇₀ nanowhiskers, or C₇₀NWs) have been successfully fabricated by forming liquid/liquid interfaces in systems that involve a toluene solution of C₇₀ and isopropyl alcohol. Transmission electron microscopy observations show that the C₇₀NWs have a 〈110〉 growth axis and that the intercluster distance of C₇₀ molecules in the C₇₀NWs are shortened by ～3%, compared with that of face-centered cubic C₇₀ crystals in the 〈110〉 close-packed growth direction, which indicates the formation of strong chemical bonds between the C₇₀ molecules. It is suggested that the C₇₀ molecules are polymerized, with their short axis parallel to the growth axis of the C₇₀NWs, from observation via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.