Fullerenes

Explanation

Fullerenes

In this lesson, we will discuss the compound fullerenes, the shape of fullerenes, physical properties and will look at uses of fullerenes as well.

What is Fullerenes?

Fullerene, also known as buckminsterfullerene, is a series of hollow carbon molecules that form either a closed cage (“Buckyball’s”) or a cylinder (carbon “nanotubes”). In simple terms, it can be defined as a molecule of carbon. The shape of which can be formed of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, tube, and many other shapes. This kind of molecule was produced in 1985 by these scientists; Richard Smalley, Robert Curl, James Heath, Sean O’Brien and Harold Kroto at Rice University. Both the scientist Kroto, Smalley and Curl were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996, for their roles in the breakthrough discovery of this class of molecules. Fullerene molecule has unique chemical, physical and physio-chemical properties.

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