Historical perspective on: Preparation and UV/visible spectra of the fullerenes C60 and C70 [Volume 177, Issues 4–5, 1 March 1991, Pages 394–398]

The carbon arc technique allowed the fullerenes to be produced in bulk samples while solvent extraction and chromatographic seperation provided methods to purify them and so start the study of their properties. This is the story of these developments through the eyes of a young research student in the Sussex team.