Structure and Stability of Two-Dimensional Complexes of C_20 Fullerenes

Two-dimensional complexes of C_20 fullerenes connected to each other by covalent bonds have been studied. Several isomers with different types of intercluster bonds have been revealed. The lifetimes of the (C_20)_MxM systems with M = 2 and 3 have been directly calculated at T = 1800 - 3300 K making use of molecular dynamics. It has been shown that these complexes lose their periodic cluster structure due to either coalescence of two fullerenes C_20 or decay of C_20 fullerenes. The activation energies of these processes exceed 2 eV.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Stability of C20 fullerene chains

The stability of (C20)N chains with N = 3 - 7 is analyzed by numerical simulation using a tight-binding potential and molecular dynamics. Various channels of losing the cluster-chain structure of the (C20)N complexes are observed, including the decay of C20 clusters, their coalescence, and the separation of one C20 fullerene from the chain.Comment: To appear in JETP Letter