Computer artwork of a buckyball (C60)

Credit: ALFRED PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Buckyball. Computer artwork of part of a C60 Buckminsterfullerene, a third allotrope (structural form) of carbon (after diamond and graphite). The molecule is known as a buckyball. Spheres in this molecule represent carbon atoms whilst the lines represent the bonds between them. The bonds link the 60 carbon atoms in pentagons and hexagons to form a football-shaped (soccer ball) structure. This molecule was discovered in 1985. It was the first of a range of spherical fullerenes to be found. Fullerenes have novel physical and chemical properties which can be exploited to produce new catalysts, lubricants and superconductors.

Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.

Keywords: allotrope, artwork, buckminsterfullerene, buckyball, c60, c60 buckyball, carbon, chemical, chemistry, compound, compounds, fullerene, graphic, molecular graphic, molecule, molecule molecules, organic

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