The future of the fullerenes

As the fullerene studies progress, two trends become more visible: the incorporation of the smaller cages of C-60 type into organic chemistry and the increasing interest in the elongated fullerene species, carbon nanotubes. The latter turn out to be of interest for structural materials and for the submicro-electronics application. The mechanical strength of these molecular fibers combines with electronic properties, that are uniquely tunable by the molecular symmetry of nanotubes. We outline the basic features of fullerene nanotubes and the more recent findings in their mechanical and electrical properties. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.