C3.8 - Fullerenes and Graphene

• As well as diamond and graphite, carbon exists as fullerenes, which can form large cage-like structures and tubes, based on hexagonal rings of carbon atoms
• Fullerenes:

  • structures made up of carbon atoms
  • used as a transport mechanism for drugs to specific sites in the body, as catalysts, and as reinforcement for composite materials
  • they have a high tensile strength
  • high electrical and thermal conductivity (because they have many delocalised electrons)
• Graphene:

  • single layer of graphite so just one atom thick
  • create new developments in the electronics industry in the future
  • can conduct electricity