Examination of Vapor Sorption by Fullerene, Fullerene-Coated Surface Acoustic Wave Sensors, Graphite, and Low-Polarity Polymers Using Linear Solvation Energy Relationships

The sorption of vapors by fullerene is compared with the sorption of vapors by an assembled fullerene thin film on a surface acoustic wave vapor sensor. A linear solvation energy relationship derived for solid fullerene at 298 K was used to calculate gas/solid partition coefficients for the same vapors as those examined using the vapor sensor. this relationship correctly predicted the relative vapor sensitivities observed with the vapor sensor. A new linear solvation energy relationship for vapor adsorption by graphite at 298 K has been determined, and solid fullerene and solid graphite are found to be quite similar in their vapor sorption properties. Comparisons have also ben made with linear organic and inorganic polymers, including poly(isobutyene), poly(epichlorohydrin), OV25, and OV202. In all cases, sorption is driven primarily by dispersion interactions. The assembled fullerene material is generally similar in vapor selectivity to the other nonpolar sorbent materials considered but yields less sensitive vapor sensors than linear organic polymers.