A topological method for the classification of entanglements in crystal networksA preliminary account of this work was presented at the workshop `Topological dynamics in physics and biology' held in Pisa, 12–13 July 2011.

Abstract

A rigorous method is proposed to describe and classify the topology of entanglements between periodic networks if the links are of the Hopf type. The catenation pattern is unambiguously identified by a net of barycentres of catenating rings with edges corresponding to the Hopf links; this net is called the Hopf ring net. The Hopf ring net approach is compared with other methods of characterizing entanglements; a number of applications of this approach to various kinds of entanglement (interpenetration, polycatenation and self-catenation) both in modelled network arrays and in coordination networks are considered.