Micelle-encapsulated fullerenes in aqueous electrolytes

Different micellar particles Mi(M+) (Mi=Triton X-100, Triton N-101 R, Triton CF-10, Brij-35, M+=Na+, K+, Cs+) have been prepared in different aqueous H3BO3/MOH background electrolytes. It has been observed that these particles can be used to disperse the highly hydrophobic spherical [60]fullerene (1) and ellipsoidal [70]fullerene (2). This dispersion is realised as either micelle-encapsulated monomers Mi(M+)1m and Mi(M+)2m or water-soluble micelle-bound aggregates Mi(M+)1agg and Mi(M+)2agg, where especially the hydration degree and polyoxyethylene (POE) thickness of the micellar particle seems to play a role of vital importance. Further, the encapsulation microenvironment of 1m was found to depend strongly on the selected monovalent electrolyte cation, i.e., the encapsulated 1m is accommodated in the more hydrophobic microenvironment the higher the cationic solvation number is.