Thermal desorption of fullerene C60 from polymer matrices

The data on thermally stimulated desorption (TSD) study of fullerene C60 molecules from different polymer matrices are compared in view of the temperature positions and relative intensities of resolved thermal desorption stages. An increase of the low temperature C60 desorption stages is observed for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polystyrene (PS) contrary to polyimide (PI). This is in agreement with the difference in glass transition temperatures (Tg) of these polymers. The TSD data allow us to conclude that above Tg of the polymer the solubility of fullerene C60 in PDMS and PS is up to the order of magnitude higher compared with C60 solubility in low molecular weight solvents.