Kroto, Harold number

Before 1985, six crystalline forms of carbon were known two forms of graphite, two forms of diamond, and chaoit and carbon (VI) discovered in 1968 and 1972, respectively. In addition a number of almost pure amorphous forms exist, such as polyacetylene (7.60) and cumulene (7.61) and recently a number of interesting nanostructured forms of carbon have been produced (Section 15.8). The year 1985 marked the discovery of the fullerenes, which represent the only truly pure molecular form of carbon, are produced under very extreme conditions as carbon vapour condenses in an atmosphere of an inert gas such as helium. Harold Kroto s interest in this chemistry originated with microwave spectroscopic studies of the atmosphere of stars and interstellar dust clouds. Kroto wanted to try to reproduce in the laboratory spectra of carbon... 

Fullerenes are carbon allotropes discovered in 1985 by Harold W. Kroto, Robert E Curl and Richard E. Smalley. These carbon nanostructures possess icosahedral symmetry and are sp hybridized. Fullerenes have a closed cage-like structure and are examples for zero-dimensional CNMs. Depending on the number of carbon atoms that a cluster possesses, these are named (contains 60 carbon atoms), C (contains 70 carbon atoms), Cg (contains 84 carbon atoms), etc. The unique morphology of these CNMs possess large surface area to volume ratio and is suitable for a wide variety of applications. Synthesis methods of fullerenes are well developed [7-9]. 

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