Isolation of small-bandgap fullerenes and endohedral metallofullerenes

摘要

A method for recovering small bandgap fullerenes, including metallofullerenes, from soot by passivating individual fullerenes and/or metallofullerenes to an anionic configuration. Thc addition of extra electrons to a metallofullerene or small bandgap fullerene breaks the interfullerene bonding in the solid material, and the resulting anions are soluble in organic electrochemical solvents. Once dissolved, the small bandgap fullerenes can be plated out or precipitated by returning them to a neutral state.