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Discovered in 1985, Buckminsterfullerene has some fascinating characteristics. What is it and how is it shaping the future of chemistry?Key facts
- In the 1980s, a new carbon allotraope was found - C60.
- Robert Curl and Richard Smalley discovered the elemental carbon structure, which bonded together 60 carbon atoms exactly.
- The C60 molecule was a unique geodesic shape - formed from interlocking pentagons and hexagons.
- The C60 allotrope was named after Buckminster Fuller - an architect and engineer who specialised in geodesic domes.
Transcript
The main allotropes of carbon are diamond and graphite, which have been known to exist for millennia.
However, in the 1980s a new allotrope was found, it was a discovery that would literally shape the future of carbon and its use.
In 1985, professor Harry Kroto was studying how carbon formed in …
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