C3.8 - Fullerenes and Graphene

• diamond • graphite • graphene • buckminster fullerene

• artificially made in 1984 • made form 60 carbon atoms • each carbon atom has 3 covalent bonds with other carbons • has a cage-like, hollow structure

• high tensile strength - high electrical/thermal conductivity

due to its delocalised electrons that can carry charge

• drug delivery • safety goggles • lubricant • improving catalysts • tennis rackets

• its cage-like structure • enables them to carry drug molecules around the body • to take them to where they need to be

• changes opacity • when exposed to light • so good when used with lasers

due to its shape

-due to its high surface area to volume ratio of its nano-particles

-due to its high tensile (tension) strength

• is a giant covalent sturcture • a single atom thick sheet of hexagons • surrounded by delocalised electrons • artificially made by taking 1 layer of graphite • 3 covalent bonds made by each carbon atom • has no fixed number of atoms

• solar cells - electrical displays

-due to it being a single atom thick -it is translucent + flexible

• its delocalised electrons carry charge - making it a very good electrical conductor

• flexible • strong for its mass • most reactive carbon form • low density • great conductor (better than graphite)