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The Birth of C60: Buckminsterfullerene

  • Conference paper
Electronic Properties of Fullerenes

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences ((SSSOL,volume 117))

Abstract

Almost exactly five years after C60: Buckminsterfullerene (fullerene-60) was discovered serendipitously during a series of graphite laser vaporization experiments which were designed to simulate the chemistry in a red giant carbon star, the molecule has been isolated in macroscopic amounts. This breakthrough has triggered an explosion of research into its chemical and physical properties. The molecule has already exhibited a wide range of novel phenomena which promise exciting applications. Whether or not applications arise Buckminsterfullerene has a beauty and elegance that has excited the imaginations of scientists and laymen alike. It seems almost impossible to comprehend how the existence of the third well-characterised allotropie form of carbon could have evaded discovery until almost the end of the twentieth century. New fields of chemistry, physics and materials scince have been born and the articles contained in this volume cover some of the fascinating properties that have been uncovered and which pressage exciting implications for the future. This article surveys some of the key events which led to the birth of these new field and serves as an introduction to this volume.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QJ, UK

    H. Kroto

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  1. H. Kroto
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Wien, Strudlhofgasse 4, A-1090, Wien, Austria

    Hans Kuzmany

  2. Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Nukleare Festkörperphysik, Postfach 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Jörg Fink

  3. Physikalisches Institut II, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550, Stuttgart, Germany

    Michael Mehring

  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstrasse 1, D-70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Siegmar Roth

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kroto, H. (1993). The Birth of C60: Buckminsterfullerene. In: Kuzmany, H., Fink, J., Mehring, M., Roth, S. (eds) Electronic Properties of Fullerenes. Springer Series in Solid-State Sciences, vol 117. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-85049-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-85049-3_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-85051-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-85049-3

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