PROPERTIES OF FULLERENE NANOTUBULES

Recent reports show that single graphitic tubules with diameters on the order of fullerene diameters have been synthesized. We have examined both the electronic and structural properties of these materials using a range of methods. We have calculated the electronic structure of several graphitic tubules using a first-principles, self-consistent, all-electron Gaussian-orbital based local-density functional (LDF) approach. We have found that the class of high-symmetry tubules we denote as ''serpentine'' are metallic, with nonzero gaps for other finite radius tubules. With potential electronic and structural applications, these materials appear to be appropriate synthetic targets for the current decade.