Quantum fluids in nanopores

We describe calculations of the properties of quantum fluids inside nanotubes of various sizes. Very small radius ($R$) pores confine the gases to a line, so that a one-dimensional (1D) approximation is applicable; the low temperature behavior of 1D $^4$He is discussed. Somewhat larger pores permit the particles to move off axis, resulting eventually in a transition to a cylindrical shell phase--a thin film near the tube wall; we explored this behavior for H$_2$. At even larger $R\sim 1$ nm, both the shell phase and an axial phase are present. Results showing strong binding of cylindrical liquids $^4$He and $^3$He are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, uses ws-ijmpb, graphicx, xspace; minor revisions from version published in Proc. 13th Intl. Conference on Recent Progress in Many-Body Theories (QMBT13), Buenos Aires, 200

Dilation-induced phases of gases absorbed within a bundle of carbon nanotubes

A study is presented of the effects of gas (especially H2) absorption within the interstitial channels of a bundle of carbon nanotubes. The ground state of the system is determined by minimizing the total energy, which includes the molecules' interaction with the tubes, the inter-tube interaction, and the molecules' mutual interaction (which is screened by the tubes). The consequences of swelling include a significant increase in the gas uptake and a 3 per cent increase in the tubes' breathing mode frecuency.Comment: 4 page

Probing the helium-graphite interaction

Two separate lines of investigation have recently converged to produce a highly detailed picture of the behavior of helium atoms physisorbed on graphite basal plane surfaces. Atomic beam scattering experiments on single crystals have yielded accurate values for the binding energies of several· states for both (^4)He and (^3)He, as well as matrix elements of the largest Fourier component of the periodic part of the interaction potential. From these data, a complete three-dimensional description of the potential has been constructed, and the energy band structure of a helium atom moving in this potential calculated. At the same time, accurate thermodynamic measurements were made on submonolayer helium films adsorbed on Grafoil. The binding energy and low-coverage specific heat deduced from these measurements are in excellent agreement with those calculated from the band structures