Carbon, one of the most well known elements in chemistry as well as our lives.People who don’t belong to chemistry or chemical science,also have heard the name ‘Carbon’ as we can find this element from photosynthesis to greenhouse gas.Seems cool, yeah? However,carbon can be called multitasker as it shows multiforms.Then let’s get to the obvious meaning about its multiforms i.e 'Allotropes'.Well,allotrope refers to one or more physical forms of a chemical element which is different in terms of arrangement of atoms. Different forms of the same element are called allotrope along with differences in chemical and physical properties.
Carbon has many allotropes because of its valency. Mainly there are 3 allotropes in pure carbon.They are: Diamond, graphite, fullerene(which includes nanotubes and "buckyballs").Also in amorphous form carbon's allotropes are:coal,coke,wood charcoal,animal charcoal,lamp black,gas carbon,petroleum coke,sugar charcoal.
Are you a jewellery freak and have a fascination with diamonds?So,here also Diamond,which is very alluring nowadays is an allotrope of carbon.Quite amazing!right?
Diamond:
In recent world,diamonds are most precious and expensive.The earliest diamond was first discovered in India.It is the hardest material on the earth.It occurs naturally and a composed mineral of pure carbon.Diamonds are not rare,but high quality diamond that can be used in jewellery is rare.It's crystal system is cubic and crystal class is hexoctahedral.It's a giant molecule consists of three dimensional network of carbon atoms.Diamond is mostly used as a gemstone for adornment.It's also used in industry for cutting hard materials.
Graphite:
Graphite is consists of many layers of graphene.Graphene is also an allotrope of carbon which is simply one atomic layer of graphite.There are slightly differences in graphene and graphite.Graphite was first found in Cumbria in north England at the beginning of the sixteenth century.The most stable form of carbon is graphite under standard conditions.It can convert to diamond under high temperature and pressure,but diamond can never.Its crystal system is hexagonal.It's a giant covalent structure.Graphite is mostly used in pencils and lubricants.Basically,It is used to make the "lead" in pencil.It's also used as a conductor of heat and electricity.We can also find its uses in electronic products such as electrodes,battery,solar pannels.
Fullerene:
Fullerene is also an allotrope of carbon.Fullerenes are formed entirely carbon with spherical (buckyballs),ellipsoid or a combination shape.Fullerenes consist of hexagonal or pentagonal ring.It can easily react with radicals so fullerenes can be used as an antioxidant.Fullerenes are under research for potential medical use.
Thus Carbon allotropes refer to different well- defined formulas of carbon-pure materials and its uses in our daily life is beyond description.
Sayma Afrin Jemi
Department of chemistry
Rajshahi University
very informative writing....
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