Question

what is Buckminsterfullerene ......a short detailed info

Answer 1

it is an allotrope of carbon.
it is also known as C-60.
it is named after a scientist.

Answer 2

fullerenes are the third crystalline form of carbon.Though they were discovered only recently they have been found to exist in interstellar dust as well as in the geological formations of the earth. In fullerenes many carbon atoms are held together in a cage like structure. the number of carbon atoms may vary between 30 to 900 in the most common fullerene buckminsterfullerene or buckyball, 60 carbon atoms are arranged in spherical structure. buckminsterfullerene is denoted as C 60(sixty should be written aside c in small size). it is named after Richard Buckminster Fuller, an American architect. there are larger and smaller fullerenes made up of 32,50,70 and 76 carbon atoms respectively. However in fullerenes the cluster of carbon atoms exists as unlinked particles unlike as it is in diamond and graphite where the carbon atoms are together in a crystalline pattern.