Carbon nanotube encapsulated fullerenes: a unique class of hybrid materials

We report the discovery of elongated fullerene capsules contained within si ngle-wall carbon nanotubes, as well as new findings pertaining to encapsula ted, self-assembled chains of C-60. The observed structures comprise a new, complete class of hybrid materials: hemispherically-capped graphene cylind ers of various lengths within carbon nanotubes. Short capsules and chains c omprised of only a few C-60 molecules spontaneously jump nanometer distance s along the axis of the containing tube. A model explaining this behavior i s proposed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.