Nonempirical calculations of the electronic properties of new boron nitride graphyne-like nanotubes

Abstract

The nonempirical density-functional tight-binding approach to band structure calculations was used to study the structural and electronic properties of new boron nitride graphyne-like nanotubes (α-BN-NT) constructed on the basis of the atomic motif of α-graphyne. All α-BN tubes were semiconductors with gap widths of 3.8–4.2 eV. The electron energy characteristics of zigzag and armchair α-BN-NTs are discussed in comparison with the known boron nitride graphite-like nanotubes. In addition, the special features of interatomic interactions in α-BN are analyzed using the nonempirical discrete variational method of density functional theory.