Langmuir and Langmuir—Blodgett films of mesogenic methanofullerenes

The ability to form Langmuir films of new C60 derivatives functionalized by mesogenic groups has been investigated. Multilayer organizations were obtained when dilute solutions of these pure compounds had been spread at the gas/water interface. However, they formed monomolecular films when they were diluted with an amphiphilic compound which interacts with their respective functional groups. Langmuir—Blodgett (LB) films (Z type) have been built starting with such monolayers. UV—Vis absorption spectra of the LB films exhibited a red shift of the fullerene bands by comparison with those of the chloroform solutions. The absence of the characteristic absorption peak of fullerene aggregates in the spectrum of the LB films indicates that C60 derivatives have been transferred in the monomeric form.