Stable single helical C-and I-chains inside single-walled carbon nanotubes

The helicity of stable single helical carbon chains and iodine chains inside single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs)is studied by calculating the systematic van der Waals interaction energy.The results show that the optimal helical radius increases linearly with increasing tube radius,which produces a constant separation between the chain structure and the tube wall.The helical angle exhibits a ladder-like decrease with increasing tube radius,indicating that a large tube can produce a small helicity in the helical structures.