Fullerene C60 CAS No. 99685-96-8 Fullerene C60

The molecular structure of C60 resembles a modern soccer ball: a spherical 32-hedron composed of 12 disjoint pentagons and 20 hexagons, with all 60 carbon atoms being completely equivalent. Each carbon atom is located at a vertex of a pentagon or hexagon, forming σ bonds with three adjacent carbon atoms through sp² hybridization, while the remaining p-orbital electrons form a conjugated π system both inside and outside the spherical shell. Due to its resemblance to the spherical dome architecture designed by the architect Buckminster Fuller, it is named Buckminsterfullerene, commonly known as "buckyball".

Core Performance Advantages:

• Structural Stability: The carbon-carbon σ bonds and π-conjugated system allow C60 to remain stable under extreme conditions (high temperature, radiation)

• Excellent Electronic Properties: High electron affinity, small reorganization energy, high electron mobility; conductivity can be tuned through doping (semiconductor → conductor → superconductor)

• Broad Light Absorption: Light absorption range covers ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths

• Antioxidant Activity: Antioxidant capacity 125 times that of vitamin C, effectively scavenging free radicals

• Surface Modifiability: Functional groups can be attached via covalent bonds (e.g., carboxyl, amino) or non-covalent bonds (π-π stacking)

• Endohedral Filling: Metals or nitrides can be encapsulated inside the fullerene cage, forming endohedral metallofullerenes

1.Energy Field

• Solar Cells : As an electron acceptor material, it exhibits good electron transport performance and photostability, enhancing the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells and organic photovoltaic cells

• Photocatalysis: Used as a photocatalyst for photolytic water splitting to produce hydrogen, achieving a hydrogen evolution rate of up to 1.2 mmol/g/h with 23% efficiency

• Supercapacitors : The high surface area and excellent electrochemical properties of C60 make it an ideal material for high-performance energy storage devices

2.Electronics and Optoelectronics

• Organic Optoelectronic Devices : Used in photodetectors, photodiodes, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs); the high electron mobility of C60 effectively improves device performance

• Flexible Electronics : C60-doped materials can be used to manufacture flexible displays with bending radii <1 mm

• Quantum Computing : The C60 cage can serve as a "quantum protective shell" for qubits. IBM plans to launch a prototype chip containing 1,000 qubits based on C60 encapsulation technology

3.Biomedical Field

• Antioxidant/Anti-aging : Antioxidant capacity 125 times that of vitamin C, widely used in high-end skincare products and health supplements

• Drug Delivery : The cage structure of C60 can encapsulate drug molecules for targeted delivery, improving efficacy and reducing side effects

• Photodynamic Therapy : Acts as a photosensitizer to destroy cancer cells under light and oxygen, used in cancer treatment

• Gene Therapy : C60-liposome nanocarriers can increase siRNA delivery efficiency to 85%, achieving 70% tumor shrinkage in breast cancer models

4.Materials Science and Catalysis

• Catalysis : Can serve as an "electron buffer" combined with metal catalysts for reactions such as syngas production and CO₂ conversion

• Polymer Modification : Used to enhance the mechanical properties and thermal stability of polymer materials

• Smart Materials : C60-doped shape memory polymers achieve 99% shape recovery under infrared light trigger, used in aerospace adaptive structures

• Sensors : C60-SnO₂ composites achieve ppb-level sensitivity for NO₂ detection, applied in air quality monitoring

5.Other Applications

• Lubricants: As high-performance lubricant additives

• Cosmetics: Raw materials for anti-aging skincare products

• Hydrogen Storage Materials: The cage structure of C60 can be used for hydrogen storage