| buckminsterfullerene | <chemistry> A hollow, spherical molecule consisting of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a soccer ball pattern of hexagons and pentagons. The molecule can superconduct, lubricate, and absorb light. The molecule is a type of fullerene, was the first one to be discovered and studied, and is named after the architect R. Buckminster Fuller. Synonym: bucky ball. (15 Nov 1997) |
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