Bond order bond polarizability model for fullerene cages and nanotubes

It is still a challenge to accurately calculate the polarizabilities of large fullerene cages and nanotubes. In this paper, a simple bond order bond polarizability relationship for carbon was found, which allowed us to apply the bond polarizability model to any pentagon isolation rule (PIR) fullerene (cage or nanotube). Following this approach, the following simple equation, alpha=1.262n, was obtained relating the static dipole polarizability (alpha) of PIR fullerenes (cages or closed nanotubes) to their number (n) of carbon atoms. Furthermore, it was shown that the polarizabilities of C-60 and C-70, calculated on the basis of this model, are in excellent agreement with those obtained experimentally and by density-functional theory calculations. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.