1998 The history begins with the synthesis of a mysterious, new molecule with a mass spectral peak at m/z = 1109.  This curious, new molecule is created by in an electric-arc plasma reactor used to make fullerenes (e.g. C60, C70, C76, C78, C84, etc) and classical metallofullerenes (without nitrogen, e.g. Sc2@C84, Gd@C82, etc).  Nitrogen gas is the source of nitrogen needed to create these Metallic Nitride Fullerenes (MNFs).  MNFs are metallofullerenes with three metals and a nitrogen bonded to form an entrapped nanocluster within a carbon cage housing.   The exact identity of this mysterious compound remains a mystery, due in part to (1) a low yield of this new compound relative to other fullerenes and classical metallofullerenes, (2) a soot product mixture from the reactor contains more than 50 different types of fullerene compounds, (3) a misassignment of researchers to ScO2C86, m/z = 1109 as well, and (4) an appropriate purification method to isolate this new compound of m/z = 1109 is not developed. The correct molecular formula and structural arrangement of atoms for this unknown compound is predicted in 1998 for this 1st MNF Sc3N@C80 compound   (m/z = 1109) on a paper napkin during one of the many Stevenson & Dorn 2-hour coffee breaks at a nearby Burger King/gourmet coffee shop dining area.  At Virginia Tech, Professor Harry Dorn and Visiting Professor Stevenson historically enjoyed sitting and sipping coffee for hours discussing and debating science, research, proposals, presentations, and publications.   Noting that a distinguishing feature of a true nanomaterial is the notion that atoms can be "manipulated" by scientists to combine in "unnatural ways" is predicted (and later demonstrated).   The "Stevenson and Dorn" predicted structural arrangement of atoms is later proven correctt!!!   The X-Ray crystallography is performed by Professor Alan Balch who amazingly has less than one mg of purified 1109 sample and yet confirms the structural arrangement of atoms to be a Sc3N cluster inside a C80 cage. 1999 This first MNF discovery is publicly reported by Professor Harry Dorn and Visiting Professor Steven Stevenson with Professor Alan Balch at Cal-Davis.  The discovery of these metallic nitride nanoclusters entrapped inside C80 carbon cages is reported in Nature, 401, 55-57, 1999. 2000 A second discovery is reported by Professor Harry Dorn and Visiting Professor Steven Stevenson of metallic nitride nanoclusters trapped inside C68 carbon cages.   Details are published in Nature, 408, 427-428, 2000. Also in 2000, Visiting Professor Stevenson leaves academia for a Research Scientist position at Luna Innovations, a company headed by entrepreneur Dr. Kent Murphy and located in Blacksburg, VA.  The Luna team of Kent Murphy, Charlie Gause, and Ben Plowman is paired with Professors Harry Dorn, Steven Stevenson, and Paige Phillips, who combine their efforts (2000-2004) to successfully raise millions of dollars of funding to advance commercial production and applications of nanomaterials. 2001 U.S. Patent No. 6,303,760 for making MNFs is issued to co-inventors Dorn and Stevenson.  Luna Innovations (Luna NanoWorks) purchases an exclusive, domestic license (United States Patent Protection).  There is no world patent. 2004 Stevenson resigns from Luna in March 2004 to accept a faculty position at the University of Southern Mississippi.  Also in 2004, Luna relocates its nanomaterial reactor facilities to Danville, VA. 2004 - present At the University of Southern Mississippi, Professor Stevenson has a vigorous program in exploring MNF fundamental science and non-commercial MNF technology.  The Stevenson Research Group at the University of Southern Mississippi has involved 20 students at pre-graduate and graduate levels.

History of MNFs

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