Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of extremely small things (1-100 nm in size) and can be used across all the other science fields such as chemistry, biology, physics, material science and engineering.

1. - Srishti Kushwaha
(U101115FBT186)

2. • Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of
extremely small things (1-100 nm in size) and can be used across all
the other science fields such as chemistry, biology, physics, material
science and engineering.
• Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and
devices with a vast range of applications such as in medicines,
electronics, biomaterials and energy production.

3. Types of 3-D
Nanoparticles

4. Fullerene

5. • Fullerence is any molecule composed entirely of carbon, in the form of
hollow sphere, ellipsoid or tube.
• Spherical fullerenes are also called buckyballs and cylindrical ones are
called as carbon nanotubes or buckytubes.
Reference:www.ch.ic.ac.uk/projects/unwin/Fullerenes.html

6. Types of fullerenes
• Buckyball clusters: smallest member is C20 and the most common is C60.
• Nanotubes: hollow tubes of very small dimensions having single or mutiple
walls; potential applications in electronics industry.
• Megatubes: larger in diameter than nanotubes and prepared with walls of
differnet thickness; potentially used for the transport of a variety of molecules
of different sizes.
• Nano ‘onions’: spherical particles based on multiple carbon layers
surrounding a buckyball core; proposed for lubricants.
• Linked ‘ball-and-ball’ dimers: two buckyballs linked by a carbon chain.
Reference: www.biotecharticles.com/.../Fullerene-Its-Definition-Types-and-Scope-469.html

7. C60 (Buckyball)
• A carbon allotrope discovered in 1985 having dimensions near
aorund 7 A in diameter and are one carbon atom thick.
• Composed of 60 carbon atoms that are arranged in a shape known
as truncated icosahedrons.
• It’s shape is quite similar to soccer ball with 20 hexagons and 12
pentagons and is highly symmetrical.
• A carbon atom is present at each vertex.
Reference: www.biotecharticles.com/.../Fullerene-Its-Definition-Types-and-Scope-469.html

8. Properties of Fullerenes
1. Aromaticity- reseachers have been able to increase the reactivity of
fullerenes by attaching active groups to their surfaces.
2. Solubility- They are sparingly soluble in many solvents. Common slovents
for them include toulene and carbon disulfide.
3. Superconductivity- In 1991, it was revealed that potassium doped C60
becomes superconducting at 18K. This was the highest transition
temperature for a molecular superconductor. Since then, superconductivity
has been reported in fullerene doped with various other alkali metals.
Reference: www.edinformatics.com/math_science/carbon.htm

9. Synthesis and Purification of
Fullerenes
• They are prepared by vapourising a graphite rod in a helium
atmosphere.
• Mixtures of fullerenes like C60, C70 are formed which are seperated
by solvent extraction.
• Pure C60 is isolated from this mixture by column chromatography.
• Fullerenes have been found in flames upon chemical vapor
deposition used to produce diamond.
• They can be synthesised from camphor.
Reference:https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/.../discovery-of-fullerenes.

10. Synthesis-
• The graphite electrodes are brought into close contact with each
other and an arc is struck in an atmosphere of He or Ar.
• The soot is generally collected on water cooled sufaces.
• After sustaining the arc for several mintues, the vacuum is broken
and soot is collected in toulene or benzene in a dark reddish-brown
solution which is a mixture of fullerenes.
Reference:https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/.../discovery-of-fullerenes.

11. Purification-
• The soluble material is subjected to chromatographic seperation.
• C60 can be collected by toulene as mobile phase.
• C70 can be collected by toulene as the eluant.
• C60 solution is violet and C70 solution is reddish brown in colour.
• Evaporation is also used as a method of purification (substantial
difference in the onset of evaporation between C60 and C70.
Reference:https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/.../discovery-of-fullerenes.

14. • Diagnostics- metallofullerenes can be used for diagnostic purposes as radio contrast
media in magnetic resonance imaging and other imaging procedures. Since the
radioactive metal is enclosed within the buckyball, these are less toxic and safer. This
method can also be employed for imaging organs as radioactive tracers. Animal studies
with C60 fullerene conjugated with thyroglobulin have produced a C60 specific
immunological response which can be detected by ELISA with IgG specific antibodies.
This can be used to design methods of estimation of fullerene levels in the body when
used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.
• Drug transport- fullerenes are being investigated for drug transport of antiviral drugs,
antibiotics and anticancer agents.
• Free radical scavengers- due to presence of high number of conjugated double bonds
in the core structure fullerenes can also be used as free radical scavengers. They also
provide protection to the mitochondria against injury induced by free radicals, owing to
this property they can be used in cancer therapy.
Reference: http://www.understandingnano.com/buckyballs-fullerenes.html

15. • Photosensitizers- fullerenes can be used as photosensitizers in photodynamic
therapy against various types of malignancies. These fullerenes potentially generate
reactive oxygen species when stimulated by light and kills the target cells. This method
is now also being investigated for antimicrobial property as these cause cell membrane
disruption especially in Gram positive bacteria and mycobacterium.
• Stimulate host immune response and production of antibodies- fullerenes
are efficient in stimulating host immune response and production of fullerene specific
antibodies.
Reference: http://www.understandingnano.com/buckyballs-fullerenes.html