fullere

Fullerenes are a class of molecules composed entirely of carbon. They are allotropes of carbon, meaning they are different structural forms of the same element. The most famous fullerene is buckminsterfullerene, often called C60, which has a spherical structure resembling a soccer ball. Its discovery in 1985 by Harold Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley earned them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996.

The structure of fullerenes is based on a cage of carbon atoms, where each atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms. These structures can range from spheres and ellipsoids to tubes and even flat sheets. The name "fullerene" is derived from the architect R. Buckminster Fuller, whose geodesic domes share a similar geometric structure. Beyond C60, other important fullerenes include C70, C76, and C84, each with a distinct number and arrangement of carbon atoms.

Fullerenes exhibit unique electronic and optical properties due to their delocalized pi electron systems. This has led to significant research into their potential applications in various fields. These include areas like materials science, where they can be used to create strong yet lightweight composites, and in medicine, for drug delivery and as antioxidants. Their ability to encapsulate other atoms or molecules within their cage structure, forming endohedral fullerenes, opens up further possibilities for targeted therapies and specialized materials. Research continues to explore their catalytic, electronic, and biological functionalities.