Fullerenes: Discovery, Properties, and Applications

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering the discovery history, structural characteristics, chemical properties, and industrial/medical applications of fullerenes.

Who predicted the existence of $C_{60}$ in 1970?

Eiji Osawa of Toyohash University of Technology.

Which researchers discovered $C_{60}$ in 1985 at Rice University?

James R. Heath, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley.

Who were the recipients of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of fullerenes?

Kroto, Curl, and Smalley.

In what natural phenomena are minute quantities of fullerenes like $C_{60}$ and $C_{70}$ formed?

In soot and by lightning discharges in the atmosphere.

After whom was Buckminsterfullerene ($C_{60}$) named?

Richard Buckminster Fuller, a noted architectural modeler who popularized the geodesic dome.

What does the suffix "ene" in fullerene signify regarding the carbon atoms?

It indicates that each carbon atom is covalently bonded to three others.

What constitutes the structure of fullerenes?

Closed hollow cages consisting of carbon atoms interconnected in pentagonal and hexagonal rings.

What is the hybridization of the carbon atoms on the surface of a fullerene cage?

$sp^2$ hybridized.

What is the smallest member of the buckyball clusters?

$C_{20}$, which is an unsaturated version of dodecahedrane.

How are nano"onions" described and what is their proposed application?

Spherical particles based on multiple carbon layers surrounding a buckyball core, proposed for use as lubricants.

What is the ATRAP route used for in fullerene chemistry?

Atom Transfer Radical Addition Polymerization (ATRAP) is used to form single-strand polymers.

Does Buckminsterfullerene exhibit "superaromaticity"?

No, because the electrons in the hexagonal rings do not delocalize over the whole molecule.

What are endohedral fullerenes?

Inclusion compounds where other atoms are trapped inside the fullerene cages.

What is the characteristic color of pure buckminsterfullerene solutions in solvents like toluene?

Deep purple.

Why are fullerenes like $C_{76}$, $C_{78}$, and $C_{84}$ considered inherently chiral?

Because they are $D_2$-symmetric.

At what temperature does potassium-doped $C_{60}$ become superconducting?

$18\,K$.

In Organic Photovoltaics (OPV), what role do fullerenes play?

They act as the Electron Acceptor.

Why are fullerenes considered promising for health and personal care applications?

They are powerful antioxidants that react readily at a high rate with free radicals.

What are the catalytic abilities of fullerenes?

They have a marked ability to accept and transfer hydrogen atoms (hydrogenation and hydrodealkylations) and promote the conversion of methane into higher hydrocarbons.

How does the use of fullerene black/rubber compounds affect vehicles?

It provides enhanced durability, lower heat build-up, and better fuel economy.