Intentional Closing/Opening of "Hole-in-Cube" Fullerene Crystals with Microscopic Recognition Properties.

We report production of highly crystalline fullerene C70 cubes possessing an open-hole structure at the center of each of their faces using a solution-based self-assembly strategy. The holes are isolated with a solid core at the interiors of the cubes. The open-hole structure of the cubes can be intentionally closed by introducing additional C70 and reopened by applying electron beam irradiation. The open-hole cubes exhibit preferential recognition of graphitic carbon particles over polymeric resin particles of similar dimensions due to the cubes' sp2-rich carboniferous nature.