Fullerene refers to any molecule that is made entirely of carbon atoms.They may be spherical, elepsoid or tube shaped.In developing nanotechnology carbon nanotubes is the familiar word which is one of the fullerene molecule as in fig.
The spherical shaped fullerenes are called as bucky balls, which is the largest molecule ever known.
In 2010, fullerenes (C60) have been discovered in a cloud of cosmic dust surrounding a distant star 6500 light years away. Using NASA's Spitzer infrared telescope the scientists spotted the molecules' unmistakable infrared signature. Sir Harry Kroto, who shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of buckyballs commented: "This most exciting breakthrough provides convincing evidence that the buckyball has, as I long suspected, existed since time immemorial in the dark recesses of our galaxy .
In 2010, fullerenes (C60) have been discovered in a cloud of cosmic dust surrounding a distant star 6500 light years away. Using NASA's Spitzer infrared telescope the scientists spotted the molecules' unmistakable infrared signature. Sir Harry Kroto, who shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of buckyballs commented: "This most exciting breakthrough provides convincing evidence that the buckyball has, as I long suspected, existed since time immemorial in the dark recesses of our galaxy .
This figure shows the 3D structure of a bucky ball molecule with 60 carbon atoms.(C60)
These bucky balls are more stable compare to anyother molecules ever known to man.
These bucky balls are more stable compare to anyother molecules ever known to man.
video from
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology
Interesting post ... plz inform about NASA and there interesting researches in next posts...
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