Solutions of C60 fullerene dissolved in vegetable oils and a variety of alkane solvents were prepared by using sonication, stirring, and simple dissolution. The effects of these different techniques was compared by studying the UV-VIS spectra of the solutions. Small changes in the nature of the alkane solvent occasionally gave significant changes in the spectra. The formations of suspensions involving clusters of C60 molecules is common in C60 solutions and evidence of cluster formation was observed. The effect of varying the temperature from 25° C to 200° C on the spectra was studied. At the higher temperatures decomposition and chemical reactions were indicated for some of the solvents. This research is being conducted because olive oil and other natural oils are used as solvents in the study of fullerenes in biological systems and in commercial products such as cosmetics.

Solvent interactions in vegetable oil solutions of C60 fullerene

249th National Meeting (2015)

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