Discovery of Fullerenes

The discovery of fullerenes in 1985 by Harold Kroto, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley unveiled an entirely new carbon allotrope—buckminsterfullerene (C60)—with a soccer-ball-like structure that spawned the field of nanotechnology. This breakthrough revealed a molecule 10 times stronger than steel at the nanoscale, yet 30% lighter than the average ceramic. The surprising stability of C60 at 800°C outperformed earlier carbon forms like graphite and diamond, inspiring the later isolation of carbon nanotubes and graphene. Each fullerene cage encapsulates precisely 60 carbon atoms, a measurement that enabled precise computational modeling of its electronic properties. This discovery catalyzed a $15 billion nanotechnology market, with fullerenes now used in drug delivery and superconductors—a feat unmatched by any prior carbon chemistry.