US5310532A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Purification of fullerenes
Assignee: University of South Carolina
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Filing: 1992-06-10
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Granted: 1994-05-10
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Expires: 2012-06-10
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. Tour
- 👤 Walter A. Scrivens
- 👤 Peter V. Bedworth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:25
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B32/00; C01B32/05; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y30/00; B82Y40/00; C01B32/15; C01B32/152; C01B32/156; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S423/00; Y10S423/39; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/842; Y10S977/845
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of purifying a mixture of fullerenes to obtain a preparation enriched in a fullerene of a selected molecular weight comprising; adding a fullerene mixture to the top end of a column comprising activated carbon, passing a solvent selected from the group consisting of aromatics and halogenated hydrocarbons in which said selected molecular weight fullerene is soluble through said column, and recovering a fraction enriched in the fullerene of the selected molecular weight from the bottom end of the column.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of purifying a mixture of fullerenes to obtain a preparation enriched in a fullerene of a selected molecular weight comprising; adding a fullerene mixture to the top end of a column comprising activated carbon, passing a solvent selected from the group consisting of aromatics and halogenated hydrocarbons in which said selected molecular weight fullerene is soluble through said column, and recovering a fraction enriched in the fullerene of the selected molecular weight from the bottom end of the column.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said solvent is aromatic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said aromatic solvent is selected from the group consisting of mesitylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said aromatic solvent is toluene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said solvent is carbon tetrachloride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said solvent is heteroaromatic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said solvent is pyridine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the fullerene mixture is in the form of a solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the fullerene mixture is soot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said column also comprises silica gel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the ratio by weight of activated carbon to silica gel is 1:2.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said aromatic solvent is driven through said column by applying 5 p.s.i. to 5000 p.s.i. to one end of said column.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 wherein the fullerene of selectted molecular weight is a C 60 fullerene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 wherein the fullerene of selectted molecular weight is a C 70 fullerene.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
WO1992004279A1
Cited
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