Two layer 4 : 4 co-ordinated KI crystals grown within single walled carbonnanotubes

The formation of 'all surface' 4:4 co-ordinated KI crystals within 1.4 nm d iameter single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) is reported. KI was inserted into the SWNTs by a capillary method [J. Sloan, D.M. Wright, H.G. Woo, S. B ailey, G. Brown, A.P.E. York, K.S. Coleman, J.L. Hutchison, M.L.H. Green, J . Chem. Sec. Chem. Commun. (1999) 699], whereby the nanotubes were combined intimately with the molten halide. The crystals grew with [001] (relative to bulk KI) parallel to the tubule axes and were continuous tetragonally di storted bilayer crystals composed of alternating columns of K-I and I-K pai rs when viewed along [100]. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.