Endohedral fullerene, a carbon molecule so complex to create that its price is estimated at 128 million euros per gram. Its use, mainly in advanced technology, would revolutionize certain sectors such as electronics, aerospace or medicine.
More expensive than gold, more expensive than diamond, this molecule, as surprising as it is complex, is considered one of the most expensive materials in the world with a price estimated at 140 million dollars per gram, or 128,037,000 euros. Endohedral fullerene, as it goes by its nickname, has something special. But what? We’ll explain it to you.
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A discovery leading to a Nobel Prize
First of all, you need to understand its composition. Imagine a small spherical cage made of carbon atoms, resembling a miniature football. This structure is what we call a fullerene. It was discovered in 1985 by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford, which earned them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996.
Fullerene is made up of 60 carbon atoms arranged in hexagons and pentagons, forming an extremely stable and strong structure. Thanks to this particular shape, it is able to trap other atoms inside, as if you were putting something in a box. When an atom or group of atoms is captured inside this cage, it is called an endohedral fullerene.
Several million dollars for a gram
What makes endohedral fullerene such an expensive material is above all the complexity and rarity of its production. Indeed, encapsulating atoms inside these carbon cages requires extremely advanced techniques and very specific conditions. We often talk about a cost of several million dollars per gram for certain forms of endohedral fullerenes, particularly those containing rare gases such as helium or precious metals.
But what exactly do we do with such a rare and precious material? Although it may seem surprising, endohedral fullerene has already found concrete applications in several fields, and could, ultimately, have a significant impact on our lives.
Creation of small atomic clocks
“Endohedral fullerene based on nitrogen atoms has the potential to be used to create very small, very precise atomic clocks”reports the British site Unilad . The latter would be a crucial element in the operation of GPS systems according to the media. They would make it possible to synchronize time very precisely, essential for determining positions accurately.
Oxford scientists believe that in the future, even smartphones could have an atomic clock. An article from the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology goes even further by asserting that fullerene could be used in many cases, such as in the automotive and aerospace sectors, household appliances and, more recently, medical technology, notably for MRIs.
Use in advanced technology
“Various other potential applications, in catalysis, rechargeable batteries, drug delivery, solar cells and electronics, have also been proposed”continues Nature Nanotechnology.
Although endohedral fullerene is not yet widely used, its potential is enormous. Scientists are actively working to make its production more affordable and explore new applications. As technologies advance, it is likely to see more and more endohedral fullerene molecules in our everyday products.
