Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Buckminsterfullerene: A Strong, Covalently Bonded, Reinforcing Filler and Reversible Cross-Linker in the Form of
Junchun Yu1, Mingguang Yao2, Gerhard Gröbner3
1Department of Physics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden.
Abstract:
A Buckminsterfullerene/polyisoprene (C60/PI) composite was synthesized at high-temperature, high-pressure (HP&HT) conditions. The composite has significantly improved tensile strength and Young's modulus, by up to 49% and 88% per wt % C60, respectively, which is much higher than for corresponding composites with carbon nanotube (CNT) fillers. The reinforcing action of C60 fillers is different from that of CNTs as C60 becomes covalently bonded to PI chains, and C60 clusters in PI form C60-C60 covalent bonds. The latter are reversible and break by heating at 1 bar, which suggests improved recyclability of the material and indicates that carbon nanostructures can be used as strong reversible cross-linkers ("vulcanizers") in elastomers.
Related Concept Videos
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Polymer Classification: Architecture
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Additives and Fillers in Concrete
The...
Polymers

