Fullerenes are a class of carbon allotropes consisting of carbon atoms arranged in hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or tubular structures. The most common and well-known fullerene is buckminsterfullerene, which has a spherical shape similar to a soccer ball and consists of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a series of pentagons and hexagons. Fullerenes were discovered in 1985 and have attracted great attention in various fields due to their unique properties. They exhibit excellent mechanical strength, high thermal stability, and electrical conductivity, making them promising materials for applications in nanotechnology, electronics, and materials science. In nanotechnology, fullerenes are used as building blocks for the construction of new nanomaterials and nanodevices. They can serve as excellent electron acceptors and donors in organic solar cells and photovoltaic devices, thereby improving their efficiency and performance. In medicine, fullerenes have potential applications as drug delivery vehicles and diagnostic agents. Their hollow structures can encapsulate drug molecules, protect them from degradation, and deliver them to specific targets in the body.
