Siberian Federal University

This paper presents the results of producing water-soluble fullerenes (fullerenols) by various methods: the boiling method in nitric acid (hydroxylation), hydration, and hydration in the presence of ozone. The results of studies using X-ray photoelectron and IR spectroscopy are presented. It is shown that different methods lead to the formation of fullerenols with different numbers of hydroxyl groups (OH groups). Specifically, hydroxylation yielded a fullerenol with the composition C60Ox(OH)y, where x+y = 16–18; hydration yielded a fullerenol with x+y = 20–22; and hydration combined with ozonation yielded a fullerenol with x+y = 14–16. The time required to obtain the same amount of water- soluble fullerenes by the hydroxylation method was 12 hours, the hydration procedure took 24 hours, and hydration with ozonation required 8 hours. Thus, the method of producing fullerenol by hydration combined with ozonation is effective because it allows attaching a sufficient number of OH groups in less time compared to the hydroxylation and hydration procedures