2013/05/20 by Fujimori, Toshihiko, Santos, Renato Batista dos, Hayashi, Takuya +3
#82D80 #FOS: Physical sciences #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1305.4420
We report the production of covalently bonded selenium double-helices within the narrow cavity inside double-wall carbon nanotubes. The double-helix structure, characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, is completely different from the bulk atomic arrangement and may be considered a new structural phase of Se. Supporting ab initio calculations indicate that the observed encapsulated Se double-helices are radially compressed and have formed from free Se atoms or short chains contained inside carbon nanotubes. The calculated electronic structure of Se double-helices is very different from the bulk system, indicating the possibility to develop a new branch of Se chemistry.