buckminsterfullerene

[ buhk-min-ster-fool-uh-reen ]

noun

1. the form of fullerene having sixty carbon atoms.

buckminsterfullerene

/ ˌbʌkmɪnstəˈfʊləˌriːn /

noun

1. a form of carbon that contains molecules having 60 carbon atoms arranged at the vertices of a polyhedron with hexagonal and pentagonal faces. It is produced in carbon arcs and occurs naturally in small amounts in certain minerals

buckminsterfullerene

/ bŭk′mĭn-stər-fl′ə-rēn′ /

1. An extremely stable, ball-shaped carbon molecule whose structure looks like a geodesic dome. It is believed to occur naturally in soot, and was the first fullerene to be discovered. Also called buckyball. Chemical formula: C 60 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of buckminsterfullerene¹

First recorded in 1985; fullerene

Word History and Origins

Origin of buckminsterfullerene¹

C20: named after Buckminster Fuller

Example Sentences

The coalescence of buckminsterfullerene molecules to create nested carbon nanotubes helped to improve the precision of the experiments.

From Science Daily

The chemists named the molecules buckminsterfullerenes after the architect Buckminster Fuller and his geodesic domes.

From New York Times

Figure 1 | Evidence of a mechanism for the formation of buckminsterfullerene in space.

From Nature

Even large molecules such as buckminsterfullerene — made of 60 carbon atoms — will behave in this way.

From Nature

The scientists agreed to name the molecule buckminsterfullerene, or fullerene.

From Washington Post