carbon allotropes Flashcards
diamond structure
tetrahedral arrangement of carbon atoms
4 covalent bonds per atom
can diamond conduct electricity?
no, all 4 electrons per carbon atoms are involved in covalent bonds. they are localised and cannot move
graohite structure
planar arrangement of carbon atoms in layers
3 covalent bonds per atom in each layer
4th outer electron per atom is delocalised
delocalised electrons between layers
why can graphite conduct electricity well between layers?
yes, it can conduct electricity well between layers because one electron per carbon is free and delocalised, so electrons can move easily along layers
why can’t graphite conduct electricity from one layer to the next?
the energy gap between layers is too large for easy electron transfer
why do macromolecular structures have very high melting points?
strong covalent forces in the giant structure. it takes a lot of energy to break the many strong covalent bonds
structure of graphene
one layer of graphite - 3 covalent bonds per atom and the 4th outer electron per atom is delocalised
why does graphene have high tensile strength?
strong structure of many covalent bonds
why can graphene conduct electricity well?
one electron per carbon is free and delocalised, so electrons can move easily along the structure
why do carbon nanotubes have a very high tensile strength?
strong structure of many strong covalent bonds
why can nonotubes conduct electricity well?
one electron per carbon is free and delocalised, so electrons can move easily along the tube
what’s a use of nanotubes?
potential to use as vehicles to deliver drugs to cells
macromolecular
giant molecular structures
