KrAtschmer and Huffman's revolutionary discovery of a new solid phase of carbon, solid C60, in 1990 opened the way to an entire new class of materials with physical properties so diverse that their richness has not yet been fully exploited. Moreover, as a by-product of fullerene research, carbon nanotubes were later identified, from which novel nanostructures originated that are currently fascinating materials scientists worldwide. Rivers of words have been written on both fullerenes and nanotubes, in the form of journal articles, conference proceedings and books. The present book offers, in a concise and self-contained manner, the basics of the science of these materials as well as detailed information on those aspects that have so far been better explored. Structural, electronic and dynamical properties are described as obtained from various measurements and state-of-the-art calculations. Their interrelation emerges as well as their possible dependence on, for example, preparation conditions or methods of investigation. By presenting and comparing data from different sources, experiment and theory, this book helps the reader to rapidly master the basic knowledge, to grasp important issues and critically discuss them. Ultimately, it aims to inspire him or her to find novel ways to approach still open questions. As such, this book is addressed to new researchers in the field as well as experts.

This volume contains the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "The Chemical Physics of Fullerenes 10 (and 5) Years Later," which was included in the program of the Enrico Fermi School and held in Varenna, Italy, on June 12-16, 1995. The occasion of the workshop was the lOth birthday of Coo, discovered in molecular beams in the summer of 1985, and the quasi simultaneous 5th anniversary of the synthesis of solid Coo. The motivation, however, was not the celebration of such events, rather the need for a realistic diagnosis of the current situation of fullerene research. The best solution for a constructive discussion was to gather in one place the protagonists of the fullerene adventure from the early discoveries to the present. The NATO Science Committee and the Italian Physical Society have made it possible through their generous financial support and organizational aid, which I wish to acknowledge with special gratitude. Buckminsterfullerene Coo has driven a line of research which, especially after the 1990 discovery, had been considered extremely promising both from the chemistry and material science viewpoints. In spite of this, very recently the funding and support have strongly decreased. Several hopes have been frustrated, and especially that of solid state physicists who hoped to come up with fullerene-based high-Tc superconductors.

Kratschmer and Huffman's revolutionary discovery of a new solid phase of carbon, solid C60, in 1990 opened the way to an entire new class of materials with physical properties so diverse that their richness has not yet been fully exploited. Moreover, as a by-product of fullerene research, carbon nanotubes were later identified, from which novel nanostructures originated that are currently fascinating materials scientists worldwide. Rivers of words have been written on both fullerenes and nanotubes, in the form of journal articles, conference proceedings and books. The present book offers, in a concise and self-contained manner, the basics of the science of these materials as well as detailed information on those aspects that have so far been better explored. Structural, electronic and dynamical properties are described as obtained from various measurements and state-of-the-art calculations. Their interrelation emerges as well as their possible dependence on, for example, preparation conditions or methods of investigation. By presenting and comparing data from different sources, experiment and theory, this book helps the reader to rapidly master the basic knowledge, to grasp important issues and critically discuss them. Ultimately, it aims to inspire him or her to find novel ways to approach still open questions. As such, this book is addressed to new researchers in the field as well as experts.

This volume contains the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "The Chemical Physics of Fullerenes 10 (and 5) Years Later," which was included in the program of the Enrico Fermi School and held in Varenna, Italy, on June 12-16, 1995. The occasion of the workshop was the lOth birthday of Coo, discovered in molecular beams in the summer of 1985, and the quasi simultaneous 5th anniversary of the synthesis of solid Coo. The motivation, however, was not the celebration of such events, rather the need for a realistic diagnosis of the current situation of fullerene research. The best solution for a constructive discussion was to gather in one place the protagonists of the fullerene adventure from the early discoveries to the present. The NATO Science Committee and the Italian Physical Society have made it possible through their generous financial support and organizational aid, which I wish to acknowledge with special gratitude. Buckminsterfullerene Coo has driven a line of research which, especially after the 1990 discovery, had been considered extremely promising both from the chemistry and material science viewpoints. In spite of this, very recently the funding and support have strongly decreased. Several hopes have been frustrated, and especially that of solid state physicists who hoped to come up with fullerene-based high-Tc superconductors.