Allotropes of carbons

What are the properties of diamond?

• Really hard: because of the 4 covalent bonds per carbon atom

• High melting point: requires a lot of energy to break the covalent bonds

• Doesn’t conduct electricity: no delocalised electrons

What and why are the properties of graphite?

• Soft and slippery → lubricating material: weak bonds between the hexagon layers

• High melting point: covalent bonds in the layers require a lot of energy to break

• Conducts electricity and heat: each carbon atom has one delocalised electron

What is graphene?

A sheet of carbon atoms joined together in hexagons. Its 2 dimensional and only 1 atom thick

What are the properties of graphene?

• Strong: covalent bonds

• Light

• Conducts electricity: has delocalised electrons like graphite

What is graphene used for?

• to strengthen composite materials

• Used in electronics

What are fullerenes?

molecules of carbon shaped like closed tubes or hollow balls

What are fullerenes made of?

Carbon atoms arranged in hexagons, pentagons or heptagons

What are fullerenes used for?

• Cage: can be used to deliver drugs around the body

• Catalysts: huge surface area

• Lubricants

What is buckminsterfullerene?

• The first fullerene to be discovered

• C₆₀ and forms a hollow sphere

What are nanotubes?

Tiny carbon cylinders

What are the properties of nanotubes?

• Length:diameter ratio is high

• Conducts electricity and heat

• High tensile strength( don’t break when stretched )

What is nanotechnology?

Technology using very small particles such as nanotubes

What are nanotubes/nanotechnology used for?

• Electronics

• strengthen materials without adding weight