Buckyball (Carbon-60)
The football of nanotechnology
Summary
The buckyball is a beautifully shaped molecule in which 60 carbon atoms are arranged just like a classic football (with hexagon and pentagon patterns). It is one of the most important building blocks of nanotechnology.
In depth
Carbon-60 (C₆₀), or by its full name buckminsterfullerene, is a spherical form (allotrope) of carbon made of 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal rings joined together (a truncated icosahedron). It was discovered in 1985 and won its discoverers the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Because it is a hollow sphere, other atoms can be trapped inside it, which makes it unique for research into drug delivery, superconductors and advanced nanotechnology.
Rate Buckyball (Carbon-60)
What did you think of this content? Click the stars to leave your rating.
Leave a Comment and Rating