Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
We encapsulate a number of fullerenes inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) including La2@C80 and ErxSc3–xN@C80(x=0–3). The structural properties of these nanoscopic hybrid materials are described using high resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. It is found that the encapsulated fullerenes self-assemble into long, one-dimensional chains. The thermal stability of these supramolecular assemblies are studied and large variations are found. The behavior is nominally consistent with the mass of the encapsulated metallofullerenes.