Fullerenes are carbon allotropes composed entirely of carbon in hollow spherical, ellipsoid, or tubular structures. In 1985, Kroto, Curl, and Smalley discovered buckminsterfullerene (C60) through molecular beam experiments that observed discrete carbon molecule peaks, including at 60 atoms. C60 is named after geodesic dome architect Buckminster Fuller due to its similar structure. Fullerenes have applications as polymer additives, in carbon nanotubes used for strong, conductive materials like tennis rackets and aircraft composites, and in molecular pumps and nanowires for electrical motors and light bulbs.

1. Bonding and Structure
Discovery and Applications of fullerenes

2. Meaning of fullerenes
 Fullerenes are a family of carbon allotropes.
 They are molecules composed entirely of
carbon.
 They are in the form of a hollow sphere,
ellipsoid, or tube.

3. Discovery of the first fullerene: C60
 In 1985, Prof. Harold W. Kroto of the University of
Sussex joined Robert F. Curl and Prof. Richard E.
Smalley at Rice University to study the products of
carbon vaporization.
 They carried out molecular beam experiments.
 From the result, discrete peaks were observed
corresponding to molecules with the exact mass of sixty
or seventy or more carbon atoms.
 C60 was then discovered, and it was named
buckminsterfullerene which is named after Richard
Buckminster Fuller who designed geodesic domes which
is the same structure as C60.
 Shortly after discovery of C60, it came to discover the
fullerenes.
Harold Kroto
Richard Errett Smalley
Robert Floyd Curl

4. Construction of the model of C60
 Cut out 12 pieces of regular pentagon
paper and 20 pieces of regular hexagons
paper, keeping the length of their sides
as the same.
 Use transparent tape to attach the
shapes together.
 Each pentagon should be surrounded by
5 hexagons. Hexagons should be
surrounded by three hexagons and three
pentagons placed next to each other
alternately.
 Fold up the large piece of paper to form a
ball just as shown in the picture at the left.
A model is finished!

5. Structures of some fullerenes
 C60 (Buckminsterfullerene)
- it is like the shape of
a football
*grey ball represents a carbon atom

6. Structures of some fullerenes
- structure consists of 12
pentagons as faces only
*grey ball represents a carbon atom
 C20 (the smallest possible fullerene)

7. Applications of fullerenes
 Polymer Additives - fullerenes and fullerenic black
are chemically reactive and can be added to polymer
structures to create new copolymers with specific
physical and mechanical properties.
 Carbon Nanotubes - nanotubes are cylindrical
fullerenes. These tubes of carbon are usually only a
few nanometers wide, but they have high tensile
strength, high electrical conductivity, high resistance
to heat, and relative chemical inactivity.

8. These tubes can help to make useful substances.
For examples:
- tennis racket
- superconductor
- composite used in aircraft

9.  Combination of nano tubes and fullerenes are used in
molecular pumps and pistons.
 To produce nanowires of gold and zinc oxide .
 These are used for economical electrical motor
brushes. In light bulb filament-as an alternative to
tungsten filament in incandescent lamps.
 As artificial muscles to increase strength and halt
crack propagation of concrete.