Nanoscience/ Nanotechnology Design Project: Modeling Bucky Balls.
At first there were only two forms of pure carbon known to mankind, graphite and diamonds. Graphite and diamonds have improved technology and outher areas with their properties, such as their strength. Recently however, a new form was found, called bucky balls. It has been around for a long time, but was discovered a little while ago when there was an experiment done on the carbon molecules in space. Scientist used soot (to act as stardust) and added water creating a solution. They let the solution sit over night and then put it under a slide where they witnessed bucky balls being formed.
The bucky ball is the largest symmetrical molecules known in the nanoscience world, and is chemically incredibly stable. The bucky ball is formed from 60 carbon molecules in the shape of a sphere and is made up of twelve hexagons connected to twenty pentagons, forming a figure similar to a soccer ball. .
Bucky balls are a great step in the world of nanoscience and nanotechnology because its properties. One property being its flexibility and resistance to collisions and high speed forces. When hit by something or shot at something with a high speed, it doesn't break but is able to bounce back and regain its original form with no harm done to it. .
Another property that makes the bucky ball useful is that it is incredibly strong. It is even stronger then diamonds. This property is used when the bucky ball along with graphite combine to create a tube, called a "nanotube", which can be used to help strengthen structures. Information about the strength, flexibility, and size of bucky balls was found by using Atomic Force Microscopy, also known as AFM, which is when a needle is dragged across a surface and topography of that nanostructure is created.
It has also been found that bucky balls can act as sponges. They are able to absorb molecules and keep them inside.