Dependence of the surface-assisted fullerene-based complex structure on the template molecule design

Fullerene derivatives as a kind of star carbon materials have received intense investigation because of their three-dimensional shape, anisotropic electron mobility, and high electron affinity. Indeed, the cutting-edge developments of fullerene nanomaterials have had a tremendous impact on a wide range of applications, such as organic solar cells, field effect transistors, and photodetectors. To explore their full potential applications, research into fullerene-based multilevel nanostructures relying on hierarchical interactions from bottom to top is rapidly expanding. It is of great theoretical and practical significance to prepare multilevel fullerene nanostructures with structural and properties controlled by optimizing the influencing factors. This review would offer several aspects including the chemical structures of organic molecules and the nanostructures of the organic molecules and fullerene-organic complexes. Whether monolayers or multilayers, fullerene molecules tend to fall into a space of suitable size, in which the located positions are affected by the intermolecular interactions. For the covered surfaces, fullerenes are more likely to approach the electron-withdrawing units through the donor–acceptor and charge transfer interaction. Through the implementation of this review, an exhaustive analysis on the chemical modification, including the molecular backbone and substituents, preformed network synergies, and adsorption sites is presented. In addition, the relationship between the molecules and structures that illustrates the importance of the molecular design for the controlled fullerenes hybrid nanostructures can be further understood based on the results of the joined experimental and computational investigations.