Fullerene C₅₄₀

Fullerenes are one of only 3 types of naturally occurring forms of carbon (the other two being diamond and graphite). They are molecules composed entirely of carbon, taking the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube. Spherical fullerenes are sometimes called buckyballs, while cylindrical fullerenes are called buckytubes or nanotubes. Download high resolution version (665x725, 65 KB)Fullerene C540 brian0918™ 03:20, 4 May 2005 (UTC) I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Download high resolution version (665x725, 65 KB)Fullerene C540 brian0918™ 03:20, 4 May 2005 (UTC) I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets. ... Graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. ... In science, a molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its chemical composition and properties. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... For other uses, see sphere (disambiguation). ... Definition In mathematics, an ellipsoid is a type of quadric that is a higher dimensional analogue of an ellipse. ... The word cylinder has several meanings. ... An electronic device known as a diode can be formed by joining two nanoscale carbon tubes with different electronic properties. ...

Naming

The molecule was named for Richard Buckminster Fuller, a noted architect who popularized the geodesic dome. Since buckminsterfullerenes have a similar shape to that sort of dome, the name was thought appropriate. Richard Buckminster Bucky Fuller (July 12, 1895 - July 1, 1983) was an American visionary, designer, architect, inventor, and writer. ... The American Pavilion of Expo 67, by R. Buckminster Fuller, now the Biosphère, on Île Sainte-Hélène, Montreal A geodesic dome is an almost spherical structure based on a network of struts arranged on great circles (geodesics) lying on the surface of a sphere. ...

Fullerenes are similar in structure to graphite, which is composed of a sheet of linked hexagonal rings, but they contain pentagonal (or sometimes heptagonal) rings that prevent the sheet from being planar. Graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. ...

Buckminsterfullerene

Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀)

The smallest fullerene in which no two pentagons share an edge (which is destabilizing — see pentalene) is C₆₀ (buckminsterfullerene), and as such it is also the most common. Fullerene C60 ball and stick created from a PDB using Piotr Rotkiewiczs iMol. ... Fullerene C60 ball and stick created from a PDB using Piotr Rotkiewiczs iMol. ... Pentalene has the chemical formula C8H6. ...

The structure of C₆₀ is that of a truncated icosahedron, which resembles a round soccerball of the type made of hexagons and pentagons, with a carbon atom at the corners of each hexagon and a bond along each edge. A polymerized single-walled nanotubule (P-SWNT) is a substance composed of polymerized fullerenes in which carbon atoms from one buckytube bond with carbons in other buckytubes. The truncated icosahedron is an Archimedean solid. ... The striker (wearing red jersey) has run past the defender (in white jersey) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to stop the ball. ... A polymer is a long, repeating chain of atoms, formed through the linkage of many molecules called monomers. ... Fullerites, or Polymerized Single Walled NanoTubules (P-SWNT) are very hard like diamond, but because the nanotubules intertwine they dont have the corresponding crystal lattice that makes it possible to cut diamonds neatly. ...

Prediction and discovery

Until the late twentieth century, graphite and diamond were the only known allotropes of carbon. Then, in molecular beam experiments, discrete peaks were observed corresponding to molecules with the exact mass of 60, 70, or greater numbers of carbon atoms. Harold Kroto, from the University of Sussex, James Heath, Sean O'Brien, Robert Curl and Richard Smalley, from Rice University, discovered C₆₀ and the fullerenes. Kroto, Curl, and Smalley were awarded the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their roles in the discovery of this class of compounds. C₆₀ and other fullerenes were later noticed occurring outside of a laboratory environment (e.g. in normal candle soot). By 1991, it was relatively easy to produce grams of fullerene powder using the techniques of Donald Huffman and Wolfgang Krätschmer. Fullerene purification remains a challenge to chemists and determines fullerene prices to a large extent. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... Graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. ... A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets. ... Allotropy (Gr. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... Sir Harold Walter Kroto KBE FRS (born October 7, 1939) is an English chemist. ... University of Sussex Logo © University of Sussex The University of Sussex is an English campus university located near the East Sussex village of Falmer, near Brighton and Hove and on the edge of the South Downs. ... Robert Floyd Curl, Jr. ... Richard Errett Smalley (born June 6, 1943) is a professor of chemistry at Rice University, at Houston in Texas, USA. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for discovery of fullerene (with Robert Curl, also a professor of chemistry at Rice, and Harold Kroto, a professor at... Rice University is housed in the Museum District of Houston, Texas. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Nobel Prizes (pronounced no-BELL or no-bell) are awarded annually to people who have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society. ... A lit candle. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fullerene purification is the art of obtaining a fullerene compound free of contamination. ...

Properties

As of the early twenty-first century, the chemical and physical properties of fullerenes are still under heavy study, in both pure and applied research labs. In April, 2003, fullerenes were under study for potential medicinal use — binding specific antibiotics to the structure to target resistant bacteria and even target certain cancer cells such as melanoma. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... Phyla/Divisions Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus_Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Omnibacteria Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular, bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ... Skin cancer, close-up of level IV melanoma Melanoma is a malignant tumour of melanocytes . ...

Fullerenes are not very reactive due to the stability of the graphite-like bonds, and are also fairly insoluble in many solvents. Researchers have been able to increase the reactivity by attaching active groups to the surfaces of fullerenes. Buckminsterfullerene does not exhibit "superaromaticity". That is, the electrons in the hexagonal rings do not delocalize over the whole molecule. A solvent is a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution. ...

Other atoms can be trapped inside fullerenes, and indeed recent evidence for a meteor impact at the end of the Permian period was found by analysing noble gases so preserved. The Permian is a geologic period that extends from about 280 to 248 million years before the present (mya). ... The noble gases are a chemical series. ...

In the field of nanotechnology, heat resistance and superconductivity are some of the more heavily studied properties. A mite next to a gear chain produced using nanotechnology Nanotechnology as a collective term refers to technological developments on the nanometer scale, usually 0. ... Superconductivity is a phenomenon occurring in certain materials at low temperatures, characterised by the complete absence of electrical resistance and the damping of the interior magnetic field (the Meissner effect. ...

A common method used to produce fullerenes is to send a large current between two nearby graphite electrodes in an inert atmosphere. The resulting carbon plasma arc between the electrodes cools into sooty residue from which many fullerenes can be isolated.

Possible dangers

Although buckyballs have been thought in theory to be relatively inert, a presentation given to the American Chemical Society in March 2004 and described in an article in New Scientist on April 3, 2004, suggests the molecule is injurious to organisms. An experiment by Eva Oberdörster at Southern Methodist University, which introduced fullerenes into water at concentrations of 0.5 parts per million, found that largemouth bass suffered a 17-fold increase in cellular damage in the brain tissue after 48 hours. The damage was of the type lipid peroxidation, which is known to impair the functioning of cell membranes. There were also inflammatory changes in the liver and activation of genes related to the making of repair enzymes. At the time of presentation, the SMU work had not been peer reviewed. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a learned society (professional association) based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. ... For alternative meanings, see March (disambiguation). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... New Scientist is a weekly international science magazine covering recent developments in science and technology for a general English-speaking audience. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Southern Methodist University, often known by its acronym of SMU, is a private university in University Park, Texas, USA. University Park is one of two adjacent Dallas suburbs sometimes called The Bubble (the other being Highland Park) because they are surrounded by the city of Dallas and are two of... Lipid peroxidation refers to the oxidative degradation of lipids. ... Drawing of a cell membrane A component of every biological cell, the cell membrane (or plasma membrane) is a thin and structured bilayer of phospholipid and protein molecules that encapsulate the cell. ...

Diffraction of fullerene

In 1999, researchers from the University of Vienna ^{[1]  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullerene#fn_Arndt)} demonstrated that the wave-particle duality applied to macro-molecules such as fullerene. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... This article is about the city and federal state in Austria. ... In modern physics, duality most often refers to the paradigm underlying quantum mechanics, according to which matter or energy can exhibit properties associated with wave physics as well as classical particle mechanics. ...

Notes

1. ⇧ Wave-particle duality of C60, M. Arndt , O. Nairz, J. Voss-Andreae, C. Keller, G. van der Zouw, A. Zeilinger, Nature 401, 680-682, 14 October 1999

October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Fullerenes in mathematics

In mathematics, a fullerene is a trivalent convex polyhedron with pentagonal and hexagonal faces. Using Euler formula, one can easily prove that there are exactly 12 pentagons in a fullerene. The smallest fullerene is C₂₀, the dodecahedron. There are no fullerenes with 22 vertices. The number of fullerenes C_2n grows rapidly with increasing n = 12,13, ... For instance, there are 1812 non-isomorphic fullerenes C₆₀ but only one of them, the buckminsterfullerene, has no pair of adjacent pentagons. Mathematics, often abbreviated maths in Commonwealth English and math in American English, is the study of abstraction. ...

Media

Download high resolution version (1024x1024, 83 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Animation of a rotating Fullerene C540 structure. ... The term stereogram can refer to an older type of integrated high fidelity system or music centre. ... This article is about a unit of data measurement. ... GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a bitmap image format that is widely used on the World Wide Web, both for still images and for animations. ...

See also

• Carbon nanotube
• Graphene
• Polyhedron
• Geodesic dome

An electronic device known as a diode can be formed by joining two nanoscale carbon tubes with different electronic properties. ... Graphene is a single planar sheet of sp² bonded carbon atoms. ... In mathematics, there are three related meanings of the term polyhedron: in the traditional meaning it is a 3-dimensional polytope, and in a newer meaning that exists alongside the older one it is a bounded or unbounded generalization of a polytope of any dimension. ... The American Pavilion of Expo 67, by R. Buckminster Fuller, now the Biosphère, on Île Sainte-Hélène, Montreal A geodesic dome is an almost spherical structure based on a network of struts arranged on great circles (geodesics) lying on the surface of a sphere. ...

External links

• Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (http://cnst.rice.edu/)
• Dr. Smalley's brief autobiography (http://www.nobel.se/chemistry/laureates/1996/smalley-autobio.html)
• Dr. Smalley's webpage (http://www.chem.rice.edu/CHEM_faculty_dtl.cfm?FDSID=437)
• Potential use of fullerenes in medicine (http://www.sciencedaily.com//releases/2003/04/030418081522.htm)
• Carbon Fullerene & Nanotube Models  (http://www.vincentherr.com/cf/) Vincent Herr, Houston, TX
• Discovery of graphene (http://www.physorg.com/news1667.html)
• Diffraction and Interference with Fullerenes: Wave-particle duality of C60 (http://www.quantum.univie.ac.at/research/matterwave/c60/index.html), University of Vienna
• Fullerene-based architectures for quantum computing in Germany  (http://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/~ag-harneit) and in Great Britain (http://www.nanotech.org) at the QIP IRC (http://www.qipirc.org)
• Interactive 3D molecular visualization of fullerene (http://www.sciencetechnologies.com/molviz/molviz.swf) (requires Macromedia Flash)