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Packing C60 in boron nitride nanotubes.
W Mickelson1, S Aloni, Wei-Qiang Han
1Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|April 19, 2003
Summary
We developed insulated C60 nanowires by encapsulating C60 molecules within boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). This method yields novel C60 crystal structures, offering a unique model for studying confined materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid-State Physics
Background:
- Fullerenes (C60) exhibit unique electronic and structural properties.
- Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are insulating nanomaterials with excellent mechanical and thermal stability.
- Confining nanomaterials within nanotubes can alter their bulk properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create novel insulated C60 nanowires.
- To investigate the structural configurations of C60 molecules confined within BNNTs.
- To explore C60 in BNNTs as a model system for "silo" crystal structures.
Main Methods:
- Encapsulation of C60 molecules into the interior of BNNTs.
- Characterization of C60 structures using advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques.
- Formation of fused C60 structures into single-walled carbon nanotubes within BNNTs for the linear-chain case.
Main Results:
- Successfully created insulated C60 nanowires by packing C60 into BNNTs.
- Observed unique C60 stacking configurations (helical, hollow core, incommensurate) dependent on BNNT inner diameter, differing from bulk C60.
- Achieved fused C60 molecules forming a single-walled carbon nanotube within BNNTs for small-diameter tubes.
Conclusions:
- BNNTs provide a versatile platform for creating dimensionally constrained C60 structures.
- The confinement effect in BNNTs leads to unprecedented C60 packing arrangements.
- This work establishes C60 in BNNTs as a valuable model for studying confined "silo" crystal structures and their properties.
