Azafullerene

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Azafullerenes are a type of fullerene where nitrogen atoms replace some carbon atoms in the cage. They can form hollow spheres, ellipsoids, or tubes, and the spherical ones resemble soccer balls. They belong to the carbon nitride family, which includes beta-C3N4, a material predicted to be very hard.

Fullerenes, discovered in 1985 as C60, are carbon-only hollow cages related to graphene and graphite. Azafullerenes were first reported in 1993 after an experiment with graphite electrodes and a small air leak that triggered their formation. They can also be made by chemical reactions on fullerene surfaces or by laser ablation of graphitic material.

Researchers have identified several nitrogen-containing fullerene structures, such as (C59N)2, C58N2, C57N3, and C48N12, where nitrogen substitutes for carbon in the cage. Much of the work is theoretical. For example, C48N12 is predicted to be an insulator, with regions of electron delocalization in parts of the cage.