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 C60(OH)10.