[Back to the Fullerene Patent Database]

United States Patent 5,310,532
Tour, et. al.May 10, 1994

Purification of fullerenes

Inventors: Tour; James M. (Columbia, SC); Scrivens; Walter A. (Columbia, SC); Bedworth; Peter V. (Columbia, SC).
Assignee: University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC).
Appl. No.: 896,193
Filed: Jun. 10, 1992

Intl. Cl.:C01B 31/00;
U.S. Cl.:423/445.B; 423/461.;
Field of Search:445 B;DIG. 39;DIG. 40;461

References Cited

Foreign Patent Documents
9204279Mar., 1992WOX

Other References

Primary Examiner: Lewis; Michael
Assistant Examiner: Kalinchak; Stephen G.

Abstract

A low-cost and facile method of purifying fullerenes to obtain a preparation enriched in a fullerene of selected molecular weight using activated carbon involves adding a fullerene mixture to the top end of a column comprising activated carbon, passing a solvent in which the selected molecular weight fullerene is soluble through the column, and recovering a fraction enriched in the selected molecular weight fullerene from the bottom end of the column. In addition to activated carbon, the column may further comprise silica gel, diatomaceous earth, or other materials which aid in column packing and eluent flow.

14 Claims, No Drawings

Government Interest

This invention was made with the support of the United States Government under National Science Foundation Grant No. DMR-9158315 and Office of Naval Research Young Investigation Award N00014-89-J-3062. The Government has certain rights in this invention. This invention relates to a low cost and facile method for purification of fullerenes. This invention also relates to a composition of matter comprising a fullerene adsorbed onto a solid support comprising active carbon. The solid support may further comprise silica gel, diatomaceous earth, or other materials which aid in column packing and eluent flow.


[Back to the Fullerene Patent Database]