Fullerenes

In 1985, Buck Minster Fuller heated one of the most common allotrope of carbon
that is graphite to extremely high temperature and created a new allotrope of
carbon. In its structure, each carbon atom is covalently bonded with three other
carbon atoms and forms a spherical molecule containing 60 carbon atoms. These
molecules are shaped like tiny soccer balls. Soccer balls are designed in a
hexagonal or pentagonal form.

Solid C60 fullerene molecules behave more or less like perfect squares. Even at
room temperature, these bucky balls rotate continuously and randomly. Even if
they are packed as close as possible, there is plenty of empty space between the
balls. This allows possibility of putting other atoms in that space.

For example, metallic atom of rubidium can be placed between the gaps of bucky
ball. Rubidium atom donates an electron to one bucky ball and this electron can
easily move around by jumping from one ball to the next. Hence, Fullerene based
compounds are good conductors of electricity without any resistance.