Magic number effect on cluster formation of polyhydroxylated fullerenes in water-alcohol binary solution

Due to the spherical shape with a diameter of ca. 1 nm, the aggregation behaviour of fullerene C₆₀ is very interesting in view of the possible formation of magic number particle in a similar manner as metal cluster in gas phase. Herein, we report for the first time the magic number aggregation behaviours of polyhydroxylated fullerenol C₆₀(OH)₃₆ in water-alcohol (methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol) binary solution with increasing alcohol component. The diameters of particle were ca. 6-8 nm depending on the alcohol used. The particle sizes were precisely measured by the novel-induced grating method which is superior for the particle-size measurement in single-nano region (1-10 nm). The magic number cluster was also detected by scanning probe microscopy observation. However, such aggregation behaviours were not found in DMSO-alcohol system or for the use of less hydroxylated C ₆₀(OH)₁₀.