High shear spheroidal topological fluid flow induced coating of polystyrene beads with C60 spicules

Abstract

Spheroidal spicular like topological fluid flow in an angled vortex fluidic device (VFD) housing a 20 mm diameter tube with a hemispherical base rotating at 4k rpm and tilted at 45° is effective in reducing the thermodynamic equilibrium concentration of fullerene C₆₀ in toluene, with the formation of spicules of the material under continuous flow processing. Under the same operational conditions in the presence of polystyrene beads 2 to 6 μm in diameter, spicules of C₆₀ca. 150 nm in length grow on their surfaces. This establishes that the spheroidal topological fluid flow in the VFD prevails while enveloping spheroidal like particles of such size.