fullerene
noun
ful·ler·ene
ˌfu̇-lə-ˈrēn 
: any of a class of closed hollow aromatic carbon compounds whose structures are made up of twelve pentagonal and differing numbers of hexagonal faces
especially
: one having a roughly spherical shape
Examples of fullerene in a Sentence
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The only previous example of a molecular carbon allotrope stable enough to study under normal conditions was the 1990 synthesis of fullerenes by Krätschmer and colleagues.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Graphite, diamond, fullerenes, and graphene are all carbon allotropes, and their diverse properties arise from the combination and arrangement of multiple types of bonds between their carbon atoms.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2022
In 2015 the cation form of fullerene, C60+, was finally trapped in the lab, and scientists were able to conclusively measure its near-infrared spectrum.
—Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020
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Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Graphite, diamond, fullerenes, and graphene are all carbon allotropes, and their diverse properties arise from the combination and arrangement of multiple types of bonds between their carbon atoms.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2022
In 2015 the cation form of fullerene, C60+, was finally trapped in the lab, and scientists were able to conclusively measure its near-infrared spectrum.
—Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Fullerene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fullerene. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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fullerene
noun
ful·ler·ene
ˌfu̇l-ə-ˈrēn
: any of various hollow carbon compounds
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