Morphological modifications of C₆₀ crystal rods under hydrothermal conditions

We observed morphological modification of rod-shaped C₆₀ solvate crystals using a facile hydrothermal method. The initial C₆₀ rods were changed from smooth rods to rough rods, porous rods or pieces under different hydrothermal conditions. During the hydrothermal treatment, the initial samples underwent a decomposition-recrystallization process, which can be tuned by the content of alcohol in the hydrothermal solution, thereby leading to modification of the morphological properties of the initial C₆₀ rods. In addition, the rough and porous C₆₀ rods prepared in our work exhibit excellent photoluminescence intensities that are approximately 7 and 3 times higher than those of pure C₆₀ powders, respectively. Our results suggest that the hydrothermal method is a potential route for fabricating fullerene materials with controllable morphologies and novel functions.