Fullerenes (Oxford AQA IGCSE Combined Science Double Award)

Fullerenes

Extension Tier Only

• Carbon atoms can also form fullerenes

• Fullerenes are groups of carbon atoms consisting of hexagonal rings

• Sometimes these structures can form hollow tubes or spheres such as carbon nanotubes

• Fullerenes can have different numbers of carbon atoms 

What are the uses of fullerenes?

• Fullerenes can be used to trap other molecules by forming around the target molecule and capturing it, making them useful for targeted drug delivery systems

• They also have a huge surface area and are useful as catalysts

• Some fullerenes have molecules that are able to move over each other, so some are used as lubricants

• Carbon nanotubes are used for reinforcing materials, such as in tennis rackets 

Diagram to show the structure of a carbon nanotube