Buckybowl-Based Functional Materials: From Molecular Architecture to Optoelectronic Functions

Abstract

Bowl-shaped π-conjugated molecules, particularly corannulene and sumanene, have gained increasing attention as promising platforms for constructing functional materials due to their unique curvature-induced electronic properties, structural adaptability, and rich supramolecular interactions. This review provides an overview of recent progress in the application of buckybowls in electronic and optical materials, energy storage systems, sensing, and biomedical fields. Special attention is given to the underlying structure–property relationships and molecular design strategies. Furthermore, current challenges such as synthetic complexity and device stability are discussed, offering insights into the future development of advanced organic functional materials.