Carbon nanotube encapsulated fullerenes: a unique class of hybrid materials

We report the discovery of elongated fullerene capsules contained within single-wall carbon nanotubes, as well as new findings pertaining to encapsulated, self-assembled chains of C60. The observed structures comprise a new, complete class of hybrid materials: hemispherically-capped graphene cylinders of various lengths within carbon nanotubes. Short capsules and chains comprised of only a few C60 molecules spontaneously jump nanometer distances along the axis of the containing tube. A model explaining this behavior is proposed.