Zigzag boron-carbon nanotubes with quasi-planar tetracoordinate carbons.

Four kinds of novel zigzag boron-carbon nanotubes with quasi-planar tetracoordinate carbons (2m, 0, i) (m = 3-6; i = 1-4) have been constructed, and their structures, stabilities, and bonding properties have been investigated by B3LYP calculations. The results show that the novel nanotubes (m, 0, i) have the character of metal properties with quite small HOM-LUMO gaps. Structurally, there are big windows on the walls of nanotubes and they are promising in design for functional materials.