Fullerenes and Soot Formation- New Pathways to Large Particles in Flames.

For as long as man has known fire, he has also been aware of soot-but the fact that fullerenes can be formed in a flame has only been been known for eleven years (see diagram). The research into the mechanism of their formation has brought forth many other unexpected particles that can exist in flames, for example "aromers" (aromatic oligomers).