Allotrope or not?

Carbyne

Source: © Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Library

Loose terminology causes disquiet among guardians of the chemical nomenclature

Does carbyne count as an allotrope? Marc Monthioux, writing in Carbon Trends, says no – allotropes should be able to assemble into periodic structures. So cyclocarbons, fullerenes and carbon nanotubes should also be stripped of the title.