Hirsch A (2010)
Publication Type: Journal article, Note
Publication year: 2010
Original Authors: Hirsch A.
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Book Volume: 9
Pages Range: 868-871
Journal Issue: 11
DOI: 10.1038/nmat2885
Carbon is the element in the periodic table that provides the basis for life on Earth. It is also important for many technological applications, ranging from drugs to synthetic materials. This role is a consequence of carbon's ability to bind to itself and to nearly all elements in almost limitless variety. The resulting structural diversity of organic compounds and molecules is accompanied by a broad range of chemical and physical properties. The tools of modern synthetic chemistry allow the tailored design of these properties by the controlled combination of structural and functional building blocks in new target systems. Elemental carbon exists in two natural allotropes, diamond and graphite, which consist of extended networks of sp3- and sp2-hybridized carbon atoms, respectively. Both forms show unique physical properties such as hardness, thermal conductivity, lubrication behaviour or electrical conductivity. Conceptually, many other ways to construct carbon allotropes are possible by altering the periodic binding motif in networks consisting of sp3-, sp2- and sp-hybridized carbon atoms1, 2. As a consequence of the expected remarkable physical properties of these elusive carbon allotropes, it has been appealing, for some time, to develop concepts for their preparation in macroscopic quantities. However, diamond and graphite represented the only known allotropes of carbon for a long time. This situation changed in 1985, with the advent of fullerenes (Fig. 1), which were observed for the first time by Kroto et al.3. This serendipitous discovery marked the beginning of an era of synthetic carbon allotropes. Now, as we celebrate buckminsterfullerene's 25th birthday, it is also the time to reflect on a growing family of synthetic carbon allotropes, which includes the synthesis of carbon nanotubes in 19914 and the rediscovery of graphene in 20045. Keeping in mind the numerous possible carbon modifications and the number of scientists investigating this challenge, these revelations have certainly not come to an end. In this family, fullerenes represent the most intensively investigated class. Fullerene chemistry is a mature field and many well-defined derivatives with outstanding properties have been synthesized. The first fullerene-based products such as organic solar cells have already entered the market. The materials properties of the carbon nanotubes and especially those of graphene are considered to be even more promising. However, it is still difficult to control their chemistry and also the bulk production of uniform monodisperse samples, for example, mass production of tubes with single helicities remains a challenge. Graphene chemistry is in its early infancy. Thinking to the future, there are a huge number of elusive carbon allotropes whose predicted properties are unprecedented. Synthetic chemists are developing concepts at present for their preparation and have already synthesized partial structures.
APA:
Hirsch, A. (2010). The era of carbon allotropes. Nature Materials, 9(11), 868-871. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat2885
MLA:
Hirsch, Andreas. "The era of carbon allotropes." Nature Materials 9.11 (2010): 868-871.
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