P. W. Fowler - The fullerenes: interesting graphs and fascinating molecules

This contribution will discuss the new all-carbon fullerene molecules, of which the prototype is the famous C60 football, and show how some very simple ideas of symmetry, geometry and graph theory, together with pictorial bonding theory can be used to count, construct and classify fullerenes, estimate their likely stabilities, follow their interconversion pathways and make predictions about the types and structures of their chemical derivatives. The derived rules of thumb give insight into the physical properties and extensive chemistry of these all-carbon cages.

The lecture will concentrate on showing the many ways in which a little mathematics has already been a great help to chemical and physical understanding of these and related molecules, and will discuss various directions for joint exploration by mathematicians and chemists.