Buckytube. Molecular model of a tubular fullerene molecule. The blue spheres represent carbon atoms, the rods connecting them represent bonds between them, and the atoms' electron shells are shown in pink. In this structure hundreds of atoms form hexagon shapes along a tube. This molecule is one of a class of carbon molecules called fullerenes, discovered in 1985. The prefix bucky-" comes from buckminsterfullerene (C60), a football-shaped molecule that was the first fullerene to be found. Fullerenes have novel physical and chemical properties which promise new catalysts, lubricants and superconductors. Buckytubes may be used to make molecular-scale devices (nanotechnology)."