Concepts in Nanometer Size Architecture

For other concepts in nanometer size architectures see Fuhrhop J, Penzlin G (1994) Organic synthesis concepts, methods, starting materials, 2nd rev ed. VCH, Weinheim, New York, Basel, Cambridge, Tokyo... 

Fullerenes represent a whole new concept in molecular architecture with far-reaching implications. Studies have shown that the fullerenes and their compounds can act as high-temperature superconductors and lubricants, as well as catalysts. One fascinating discovery, made in 1991 by Japanese scientists, was the identification of structural relatives of buckyball. These molecules are hundreds of nanometers long with a tubular shape and an internal cavity about 15 nm in diameter. Dubbed buckytubes or nanotubes (because of their size), these molecules have two distinctly different structures. One is a single sheet of graphite that is capped at both ends with a kind of truncated buckyball. The... 

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