Fullerene: Properties, Production, Types & Uses

Fullerene is basically crystalline carbon allotrope. They’re made by heating graphite in an electric arc with inert gas. The molecules formed by the thick carbon dioxide contain mainly C60 fullerene molecules. Widely known as Buckminster-fullerene, its shape resembles a soccer ball. It is also otherwise referred to as buckyballs.

Key Takeaways: Fullerene, C₆₀, Buckminster-fullerene, Carbon Nanotubes, Allotropes 

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What are Fullerenes?

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Fullerene is a molecule made entirely of carbon, in the form of a blank circle, ellipsoid, or tube. They’re similar in structure to carbon nanotubes, but have higher concentrations and are less empty. Discovered in 1985 by Sir Harold Kroto, James R. Heath, Sean O'Brien, and Robert Curl, while investigating usage of carbon in arc emissions. They found that the carbon dioxide produced by the exit formed 60 carbon atoms, which they named buckminsterfullerene, after Richard Buckminster Fuller.

Fullerene

• A new family of carbon allotropes comprises a set of carbon atoms, like C₃₂, C₅₀, C₆₀, C₇₀, C₈₄, etc.
• Fullerenes are formed by the heat of graphite in an electric arc where there are incoming gasses such as helium or argon.
• Among these an allotrope with molecular formula C60 is essential. It is called Buckminsterfullerene.
• The C60 molecule is a perfect circle and looks like a soccer ball and is also known as a bucky-ball.
• A six-member ring is attached to a six- or five-member ring but a five-member ring can only meet six rings.
• All carbon atoms are equal and perform sp2 hybridization.
• Each carbon atom forms three sigma bonds and three other carbon atoms.
• The remaining electron in each carbon is separated by orbitals from cells, which in turn give off a sweet-smelling molecule.
• This ball-shaped molecule consists of 60 vertices and each holds a single carbon atom and contains both single and double bonds.

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Properties of Fullerene

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Fullerenes have a wide variety of unusual structures, including high strength and durability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance. And they are not very stable, and they are not affected by many solvents or gasses.

• Its behavior and structure depends on the temperature. As the temperature rises, the fullerene is converted to C₇₀.
• Its structure can change under different pressures.
• Fullerene possesses an ionization enthalpy of 7.61 electron volts.
• Its electron affinity is between 2.6 to 2.8 electrons volts.
   

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Chemical Properties of Fullerene

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Fullerene is usually stable and cannot be affected by heat. It does not dissolve in water and solvents. Additionally, it is also a good electric conductor.

• In a chemical reaction, fullerene can act as an electrophile.
• It acts as an electron receptor and often as an oxidizing agent.
• When coated or polished with alkali or alkaline earth metals, they exhibit superconductivity properties.
• Fullerene is ferromagnetic and naturally chiral.
• It is soluble in natural solvents such as toluene, chlorobenzene, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane.

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Types of Fullerenes

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Fullerenes exist in two large families, depending on specific properties and applications. The two families include closed buckyballs and open cylindrical carbon nanotubes. However, there are also integrated structures that may exist between these two categories. It can be carbon nanobuds that are basically nanotube bound with hemispherical meshes or large "buckybuds".

Types of Fullerenes

Buckyball collections

These fullerenes are incomplete versions of dodecahedra. These are also some of the smaller members of the fullerene group. Its structural formula is C₂₀.

Buckminsterfullerene

Buckminster-fullerene is the smallest molecule. Contains pentagonal and hexagonal rings and no two pentagons will share the edge. Buckminster-fullerene exists in the form of C₆₀ and is the most common in nature. The structure of buckminsterfullerene is a reduced icosahedron similar to that of a football.

Connected Ball and Chain Dimer

Herein, two buckyballs are attached mainly to a carbon chain. Fullerenes, such as, heterofullerenes with heteroatoms convert carbon into a cage or tube-shaped structures. Additionally, the molecules of metallofullerene are composed of metal atoms trapped inside a full cage.

Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon Nanotubes are usually small and cylindrical in shape. However, their length can be up to a few millimeters long. Several other carbon nanotubes can both be closed and open. Because of their unique cellular structure, they have some unique macroscopic features. Some of them include combining high gravitational force with electrical flexibility, high ductility and thermal conductivity involving related chemical malfunctions. 

C₆₀

The C₆₀ is a ball-shaped molecule combining 60 carbon atoms. It is the most common molecule of fullerene.

C₇₀

The C₇₀ is a rugby-shaped molecule consisting of 70 carbon atoms. It is less common than the C60.

C₈₄

The C₈₄ is a ball-shaped molecule containing 84 carbon atoms. The largest molecule of fullerene.

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Fullerene production

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Fullerene repair begins with the production of fullerene-rich lead. The method used to produce fullerene involves transmitting large amounts of electricity between two adjacent graphite electrodes in an inactive area. It is further formed by releasing carbon into plasma, which then decomposes into sooty residue. Alternatively, ash can also be produced by laser ablation of graphite or pyrolysis of fragrant hydrocarbons. Processes like these result in the production of different fullerenes in various compounds and other forms of carbon. They are further extracted from the gums using appropriate natural solvents. Ideally, its mixture is separated by the use of chromatography.

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Uses Of Fullerene

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1. Fullerene is often used in nanotechnology by the production of small, stable structures.
2. It is also utilized for delivering drugs to specific body parts, increasing the effectiveness of the drug.
3. It is also widely used to boost efficiency of solar cells.
4. Fullerene can be used to stimulate chemical reactions, acting as catalysts, and speeding up the process.
5. Fullerenes are used in the medical field as light-emitting antimicrobials.
6. Fullerenes are utilized in biomedical programs, including the design of highly effective MRI comparison agents, comparative X-ray agents, photodynamic therapy and genetic delivery.

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Things to Remember

• Fullerenes are formed by burning graphite in an electric arc in front of incoming gasses.
• Fullerenes are cage-like molecules. Contains twenty-six rings and twenty-five rings.
• All C atoms are equal, which will undergo sp2 hybridization. Each carbon atom forms three sigma bonds and three other C atoms. This ball-shaped molecule has 60 vertices.
• It also contains both single and double bonds with C-C grades 143.5 pm and 138.3 pm.

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