A fullerene is any molecule composed entirely of carbon, in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid or tube.
Fullerenes were rare and valuable. Spacer crews that took fullerene cargo as part of captured prizes reaped huge financial rewards. Admiral Anston took a convoy of whips from the Webster Stars before it reached its Alliance Fleet escort; the resulting profits paid the RCN for a year, and the commanding admiral's share made Anston a rich man.3:1
They were probably mostly synthesized, but some occurred naturally. Natural fullerenes were mined in the asteroid belt of the Lantos System.4:21
Fullerenes seem to be the RCN equivalent of gold, and its shipment analogous to the Spanish treasure fleet.
External links[]
- Detailled article about fullerenes on Wikipedia.