Fullerenes
Definition and meaning of Fullerenes in chemistry.
Fullerenes are a class of carbon allotropes made of hollow, cage-like molecules in which carbon atoms form a closed network of interlocking pentagonal and hexagonal rings.
In more detail
Each carbon atom is sp2-hybridized and bonded to three neighbors, curving the sheet of rings into a closed spherical, ellipsoidal, or tubular surface rather than the flat sheets seen in graphite. Fullerenes form when carbon vapor, produced by vaporizing graphite in an electric arc or with a laser, condenses in an inert atmosphere and self-assembles into these cages. Their unique hollow structure and electron-accepting ability make them useful in materials science, organic photovoltaics, and as scaffolds for drug delivery.
Key facts
| Formula | C60 (buckminsterfullerene, the most common fullerene) |
|---|---|
| Discovered | 1985, by Kroto, Curl, and Smalley |
| Structure | Closed cage of 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons (truncated icosahedron for C60) |
| Field | Inorganic Chemistry |
Buckminsterfullerene (C60) is the smallest stable fullerene, its 60 carbon atoms arranged as 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons in a spherical cage resembling a soccer ball.
Frequently asked questions
Who discovered fullerenes?
Harold Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley discovered C60 in 1985 while studying carbon clusters formed by laser vaporization of graphite; they shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the work.
How do fullerenes differ from graphite and diamond?
Unlike graphite (stacked flat sheets) and diamond (a 3D tetrahedral network), fullerenes are discrete, closed molecules with a finite number of carbon atoms, making them a distinct molecular allotrope of carbon.