Smallest nanotube: breaking the symmetry of sp(3) bonds in tubular geometries

We describe how sp(2) carbon, threefold coordinated by other carbons, can be replaced by sp(3) carbon, also threefold carbon coordinated, to produce extremely small-diameter ( approximately 0.4 nm) carbon nanowires with only minimal bond-angle distortion. Under a naming convention analogous to that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2001-09, Vol.87 (12), p.125502-125502
Main Authors: Stojkovic, D, Zhang, P, Crespi, V H
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:We describe how sp(2) carbon, threefold coordinated by other carbons, can be replaced by sp(3) carbon, also threefold carbon coordinated, to produce extremely small-diameter ( approximately 0.4 nm) carbon nanowires with only minimal bond-angle distortion. Under a naming convention analogous to that for ordinary carbon nanotubes, the smallest sp(3) tubes have wrapping indices (3,0) and (2,2). These systems have large band gaps and a stiffness larger even than that of traditional sp(2)-bonded carbon nanotubes. They therefore form the stiffest one-dimensional systems known.
ISSN:0031-9007
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.125502