The Birth of C60: Buckminsterfullerene

  • H. Kroto
Conference paper
Part of the Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences book series (SSSOL, volume 117)

Abstract

Almost exactly five years after C60: Buckminsterfullerene (fullerene-60) was discovered serendipitously during a series of graphite laser vaporization experiments which were designed to simulate the chemistry in a red giant carbon star, the molecule has been isolated in macroscopic amounts. This breakthrough has triggered an explosion of research into its chemical and physical properties. The molecule has already exhibited a wide range of novel phenomena which promise exciting applications. Whether or not applications arise Buckminsterfullerene has a beauty and elegance that has excited the imaginations of scientists and laymen alike. It seems almost impossible to comprehend how the existence of the third well-characterised allotropie form of carbon could have evaded discovery until almost the end of the twentieth century. New fields of chemistry, physics and materials scince have been born and the articles contained in this volume cover some of the fascinating properties that have been uncovered and which pressage exciting implications for the future. This article surveys some of the key events which led to the birth of these new field and serves as an introduction to this volume.

Keywords

Soot Formation Macroscopic Amount Cage Structure Cluster Beam Carbon Dust 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1993

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. Kroto
    • 1
  1. 1.School of Chemistry and Molecular SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonUK

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