The Discovery of C60 Buckminsterfullerene and Its Impact on Nanotechnology

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

by grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 points

In 1985, chemists Harold Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley discovered a stable 60-atom carbon cage known as buckminsterfullerene or C60. This unexpected find revealed a new form of carbon beyond diamond and graphite. The discovery occurred during experiments on carbon vaporisation. It opened new doors for nanotechnology and the study of carbon structures, providing a foundation for modern material science and industrial applications.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·5 months ago·1 pts

Basically a look back at how C60 was found by accident while vaporising carbon. It is a good reminder that basic science often leads to the materials we eventually use in green tech.

grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 pts

Interesting history, but I wonder about the actual scale of these materials in current energy storage. Are we seeing these carbon structures actually move the needle on battery density or is it still mostly lab scale?

policy_loop_31·5 months ago·1 pts

The transition from discovery to deployment usually fails at the procurement stage. We have the chemistry, but we lack the industrial policy to scale these carbon materials for wide use.

retrofit_lens_44·5 months ago·1 pts

The science is cool, but the gap between a soccer ball molecule in a lab and a cost effective industrial coating for efficiency is huge. Always curious about the actual cost per square meter for this stuff.