What are fullerenes primarily composed of?

Fullerenes are a unique form of carbon that are primarily composed of combinations of carbon atoms. They are structured as hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or tubes, and are composed entirely of carbon in a closed or cage-like arrangement. The most famous fullerene is C60, which resembles a soccer ball in its geometric structure, made up of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons of carbon atoms.

The structure and bonding of fullerenes are significant in chemistry and materials science, as they exhibit fascinating properties such as the ability to conduct electricity and act as antioxidants. The combination of carbon atoms in various arrangements gives fullerenes unique chemical and physical properties compared to other forms of carbon, such as graphite and diamond.