Question

What is the name of the recently discovered allotrope of carbon ${C_{60}}$?

Answer 1

We have to remember that the carbon is capable of forming many allotropes (structurally different forms of the same element) due to its valency. Well-known forms of carbon include diamond and graphite. In recent decades, many more allotropes have been discovered and researched including ball shape and sheets.

Complete answer:
As we know that there are many allotropes of carbon. Recently discovered allotropic form of carbon in recent decades can be a ball like structure or fine sheets like structure. Sheets form of carbon is graphene while ball-like structures are buckminsterfullerene. It is the allotrope of carbon having formula ${C_{60}}$. Buckminsterfullerene has a cage-like fused-ring structure that resembles a soccer ball, made of twenty hexagons and twelve pentagons. Each carbon atom has three bonds. It is a black solid that dissolves in hydrocarbon solvents to produce a violet solution. Buckminsterfullerene is a truncated icosahedron with $60$ vertices and $32$ faces ($20$ hexagons and $12$ pentagons where no pentagons share a vertex) with a carbon atom at the vertices of each polygon and a bond along each polygon edge. Fullerenes are sparingly soluble in aromatic solvents and carbon disulfide, but insoluble in water. Solutions of pure ${C_{60}}$ have a deep purple color which leaves a brown residue on evaporation. The reason for this color change is the relatively narrow energy width of the band of molecular levels responsible for green light absorption by individual ${C_{60}}$ molecules.

Note:
We must have to know that fullerenes are positively curved molecules of varying sizes composed entirely of carbon, which take the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube. The color change in fullerenes is due to the relatively narrow energy width of the band of molecular levels responsible for green light absorption by individual ${C_{60}}$ molecules.