Buckminsterfullerenes

Buckminsterfullerenes, often called fullerenes or buckyballs, are molecules composed entirely of carbon. Their structure is spherical, resembling a soccer ball, with 60 carbon atoms arranged in pentagons and hexagons. This specific arrangement gives them the chemical formula C60. They were discovered in 1985 by Harold Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for their work.

The name "buckminsterfullerene" honors the architect Buckminster Fuller, whose geodesic domes share a similar structural principle of interconnected triangles and hexagons. The discovery of fullerenes opened up a new field in carbon chemistry, alongside graphite and diamond. These molecules are allotropes of carbon, meaning they are different structural forms of the same element.

Fullerenes possess unique electronic and mechanical properties. They are relatively stable and can be functionalized, allowing their properties to be modified for various applications. Research into buckyballs has explored their potential use in fields such as medicine (drug delivery, imaging), materials science (lubricants, advanced composites), and electronics. Their hollow structure allows them to encapsulate other atoms or molecules, a property that has led to investigations into their use as nanoscale containers.