Incorporation of balls, tubes, and bowls in nanotechnology.

The development of nanotechnology has been spearheaded by the development and discovery of new materials. The earliest materials theorized to be used in nanotechnology were fullerenes and nanotubes. Although fullerenes and nanotubes have a rich history in the area of nanotechnology, fullerene fragments, which share some the same properties as fullerenes and nanotubes, show potential in the field of nanotechnology as well. Fullerene fragments were synthesized close to 20 years prior to the discovery of fullerenes; however due to their complex synthesis they remained in relative obscurity in the field of nanotechnology. More recently, improved syntheses of corannulene and other fullerene fragments on an industrial scale have led to their potential in industrial applications. With the mass production of corannulene finally being realized, many new structures and exciting properties are making its way into the chemical literature.