Question

Define Fullerene.

Answer 1

Fullerene:

• Fullerene is one of the three existing crystalline allotropes of carbon and is made up of a large number of carbon atoms (varying from 30-900).
• The carbon atoms are arranged and interlocked with each other in such a manner that it leads to the formation of hexagonal and pentagonal rings.
• This arrangement subsequently leads to the closed, cage-like structure of fullerene, called buckyballs (hollow sphere) or buckytubes (cylindrical shape).
• Examples of such structures are; ${\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{60}\mathbf{}}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{}{\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{50}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{}{\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{70}}\mathbf{}\mathbf{,}\mathbf{}{\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{32}}$etc. Among these ${\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{60}}$ is also called Buckminsterfullerene owing to the fact that it is made up of 60 carbon atoms which are arranged to form a hollow cage-like structure resembling the geodesic domes of Buckminster Fuller.