- In April 2024, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and Denka Company Limited formalized a joint venture to advance the fullerene business, a cutting-edge segment of carbon nanomaterials. As part of the agreement, Denka acquired a 50% stake in Frontier Carbon Corporation (FCC) from MC, establishing equal ownership. FCC specializes in the manufacture and sale of fullerenes—spherical carbon molecules with exceptional electrical and thermal properties. These materials are gaining traction in applications such as thin-film solar cells, perovskite photovoltaics, and biopharmaceuticals. The partnership leverages Denka’s manufacturing expertise and MC’s market reach to scale production and meet rising global demand
- In August 2023, researchers reported notable breakthroughs in fullerene-based nanomaterials, driving enhanced performance in energy storage and photovoltaic applications. These advancements include the development of fullerene-derived nanocomposites that serve as efficient electrocatalysts for water splitting and zinc–air batteries, as well as polymer-fullerene composites for supercapacitors and solar cells. The materials exhibit improved redox activity, conductivity, and structural stability—key traits for next-generation energy devices. This progress underscores the growing role of fullerenes in sustainable energy technologies and reflects continued innovation in carbon nanomaterials
- In July 2023, Rain Cage Carbon Inc., a Calgary-based cleantech company, unveiled a breakthrough process to produce fullerenes at industrial scale—a feat long considered elusive since their discovery in 1985. These hollow carbon nanostructures, derived from captured CO₂ emissions, exhibit exceptional stability and conductivity, making them ideal for applications in medicine, electronics, and energy storage. Rain Cage’s proprietary method uses low-energy gaseous electrochemical manipulation, enabling scalable production without high heat or pressure. This innovation is expected to transform industries by replacing mined graphite in EV batteries and advancing quantum computing, solar panels, and medical imaging
- In June 2023, researchers at Kyoto University made a breakthrough in fullerene chemistry by synthesizing flat fragments of spherical fullerene molecules—commonly known as “buckyballs.” These flattened structures retained and even enhanced key properties, such as multi-electron acceptance and broad-spectrum light absorption, despite lacking the original molecule’s curvature and symmetry. The study revealed that the pentagonal substructures within fullerenes are crucial for their electron-accepting behavior. This discovery opens new avenues for applications in photovoltaics, batteries, semiconductors, and catalysis, and lays the groundwork for designing super-electron-accepting hydrocarbons composed solely of carbon
- In May 2023, Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. entered a strategic partnership with Rain Cage Carbon Inc. to develop nanocarbon-based contrast agents for medical imaging. The collaboration leverages Rain Cage’s proprietary EDEN™ carbon capture technology to produce fullerenes—highly stable, biocompatible carbon nanostructures ideal for encapsulating imaging molecules. Voyageur secured development rights for North America, with plans to expand globally. These carbon-neutral contrast agents promise enhanced safety and efficacy, marking a breakthrough in sustainable pharmaceutical innovation. The partnership also includes royalty and equipment deployment agreements, reinforcing the growing role of fullerenes in advanced medical applications
