12/12/2025
Fullerene and Its Application
Dear Colleagues,
Fullerenes, as the third allotropic form of carbon, were discovered 40 years ago. Next year will mark 30 years since the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the discovery of the Buckminsterfullerene (C60 fullerene, consisting of 60 carbon atoms, forming a cage-like fused-ring nanostructure). Fullerenes, which can be considered 0D molecules, present the largest class of the carbon family, varying in symmetry and size. The combination of the unique physicochemical properties of fullerenes extends their applications to various fields of nanoscience—from materials science and electronics to biomedical engineering. Nowadays, the incredible properties of fullerenes cannot be underestimated, as they demonstrate great promise in different healthcare areas, including cancer, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant therapy, biosensors, and bioimaging. The collaborative research of chemists, physicists, and biologists into the targeted functionalization of fullerenes, for the purpose of creating fullerene-based composites, considerably changed the face of biomedical applications. Modern studies in this area are mostly limited to in vitro and in vivo research and have not reached the final stages of clinical trials yet. It is expected that, with the rapid development of nanotechnology, this trend could change in the coming years so that the unique features of fullerenes can be exploited for clinical use. Although there are still major issues to overcome, the use of fullerenes for biomedicine has a bright future. Overall, the computer-aided design, synthesis, and physicochemical characterization of fullerene-based compounds with well-defined properties remain important research areas that require continuous updates. Furthermore, presenting and discussing current data on the biological and pharmaceutical applications of these nanostructures is highly valuable. Therefore, all articles addressing the above-mentioned topics are welcome in this Special Issue. The scope of this Special Issue is not restrictive, however, and manuscripts covering broader aspects of fullerene-based nanotechnology are also encouraged
Dr. Vasyl M. Haramus
Dr. Jacek Piosik
Prof. Dr. Yuriy Prylutskyy
Guest Editors
