Science as Art

This spring, the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films (CAEFF) organized a “Science as Art” exhibit. Recognizing that visual representations of scientific and technological phenomena provide a valuable connection between scientists, artists and the general public, Clemson students, faculty and staff were invited to submit original works to a campus-wide exhibit of scientifically significant and artistically appealing images. Entries were produced by individuals or teams, and multi-disciplinary collaboration was encouraged.

First place went to Arno Rettenbacher and Luis Echegoyen for Carbo Nano Onions.

Carbon Nano Onions
Arno Rettenbacher and Luis Echegoyen

Carbon Nano Onions (CNOs) are species where several fullerenes (buckyballs) having various diameters arrange themselves – Russian doll-style – concentrically one inside the other. That is why they are referred to as “nano onions” or “buckyonions.” The colored three-layer structure shown in the center of a real onion is a computer model of a fullerene C60 molecule (yellow) inside a two-layer onion C240 (blue) inside a three-layer onion C540 (grey), all together described as C60@C240@C540. Many more layers are possible and observed experimentally. Clemson researchers in Dr. Echegoyen’s lab have succeeded in solubilizing these nano onions by attaching long chains of molecules to the outside layer. The background of the image shows those solubilized onions as revealed by the transmission electron microscope. The work was called a “landmark and standard for future work in this field” and was featured on the cover of the prestigious Chemistry – A European Journal (see this related story).

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Send any comments/questions to: Ron Grant (email: Rong@clemson.edu)
College Relations/Marketing Director, Clemson University.