Utilizing the coffee-ring effect to synthesize tin tetraiodide intercalated fullerene (C-60) microcrystals by evaporative-driven self-assembly with enhanced photoluminescence

摘要

Exodo-metallofullerene microcrystals of SnI4 intercalated C-60 architectures were fabricated by utilizing the "coffee-ring" effect during a simple drop-drying process, which self-assemble into SnI4-fullerene hybrid structures on a pinned circle brink, due to capillary flow and concentrating both reagents. Nanoscopic and associated EDX imaging analysis revealed the homogeneity of the distribution of SnI4 within fullerene crystals which exhibit tetrahedral C-60(SnI4)(2) structures, confirmed by a subsequent XRD survey. The primary impetus for this spontaneous self-assembly is van der Waals interaction between iodide and fullerene, allowing the generalization of this protocol in constituting a variety of metal-centered iodo-fullerene composites. Relative to endo-metallofullerene structures, these exodo-metallofullerene complex networks exhibit many compelling characteristics, such as cost-effective and equipment-free preparation, scalable manufacture and considerably high production yield. This method represents an alternative route for constituting functional metal-fullerene hybrids.