Transparent thin films and monoliths synthesized from fullerene doped mesoporous silica: evidence for embedded monodispersed C60

Abstract

Thin films and monoliths of mesostructured silica containing embedded monodispersed molecules of C₆₀ may be prepared via a sol–gel route in which the C₆₀ is added during the synthesis or via post-synthesis adsorption; evidence from diffuse reflectance spectroscopy suggests that the embedded C₆₀ exist predominantly in monomeric form.