fullerene
noun
ful·ler·ene ˌfu̇-lə-ˈrēn 
: any of a class of closed hollow aromatic carbon compounds whose structures are made up of twelve pentagonal and differing numbers of hexagonal faces
especially : one having a roughly spherical shape
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In 1996 Kroto, Curl and Smalley were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their roles in discovering the molecule, called buckminsterfullerene, or just fullerene (also known as a buckyball). 
Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020 In 2015 the cation form of fullerene, C60+, was finally trapped in the lab, and scientists were able to conclusively measure its near-infrared spectrum. Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020
Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020 In 2015 the cation form of fullerene, C60+, was finally trapped in the lab, and scientists were able to conclusively measure its near-infrared spectrum. Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2020 Word History
Etymology
after R. Buckminster fuller; from the resemblance of the molecules to the geodesic domes designed by Fuller
First Known Use
1987, in the meaning defined above