8/4/2019 Fullerenes by Abhishek Jaguessar

1/2

FULLERENES BYABHISHEKJAGUESSAR

Fullerenes are a form of carbon molecule that is neither graphite nor

diamond. They consist of a spherical, ellipsoid, or cylindrical arrangement of

dozens of carbon atoms. Fullerenes were named after Richard Buckminster

Fuller, an architect known for the design of geodesic domes which resemble

spherical fullerenes in appearance. A spherical fullerene looks like a soccer

ball, and are often called "buckyballs," whereas cylindrical fullerenes areknown as "buckytubes" or "nanotubes."

Fullerenes were discovered as an unexpected surprise during laser

spectroscopy experiments at Rice University in September 1985. The 1996

Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Professors Robert F. Curl, Jr., Richard

E. Smalley, and Sir Harold W. Kroto for their discovery. Fullerene molecules

consist of 60, 70, or more carbon atoms, unlike diamond and graphite, the

more familiar forms of carbon.

Fullerenes occur only in small amounts naturally, but several techniques for

producing them in greater volumes have been suggested. The moderntechnique uses a benzene flame to produce fullerenes. Other techniques

include the vaporization of graphite rods and catalytic chemical vapor

deposition from ethanol vapor.

The fullerene family of carbon molecules possess a range of unique

properties. A fullerene nanotube has tensile strength about 20 times that of

high-strength steel alloys, and a density half that of aluminum. Carbon

nanotubes demonstrate superconductive properties, and single nanotubes up

to 4 centimeters in length have been synthesized. A range of companies

exists to develop nanotubes for commercial applications, including computer

memory, electronic wires, and materials science. One day nanotubes could be

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carbon.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-buckminster-fuller.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-buckminster-fuller.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-geodesic.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-buckyball.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-laser.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-spectroscopy.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-aluminum.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-materials-science.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carbon.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-buckminster-fuller.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-buckminster-fuller.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-geodesic.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-buckyball.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-laser.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-spectroscopy.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-aluminum.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-materials-science.htm

8/4/2019 Fullerenes by Abhishek Jaguessar

2/2

used to create futuristic computers not possible with conventional lithographic

techniques.

Nanotubes have been a central focus in the buzz surrounding the emerging

field of "nanotechnology." The association is sometimes misleading; when

physicist Richard Feynmanoriginally proposed building manufacturingsystems that assemble products on the molecular level ("molecular

nanotechnology"), he was talking about tiny, productive machine systems, not

the creation of exotic nano-scale materials like fullerenes using macro-scale

chemistry techniques. A tiny factory built entirely out of fullerenes would

qualify as molecular nanotechnology, but fullerenes on their own do not. This

is a critical distinction often overlooked by some academics, venture

capitalists, and technologists who are fond of using the word

"nanotechnology" as a tool

to attract funding or attention.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-richard-feynman.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-richard-feynman.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-molecular-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-molecular-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-richard-feynman.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-molecular-nanotechnology.htmhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-molecular-nanotechnology.htm