Stability Criteria of Fullerene-like Nanoparticles: Comparing V(2)O(5) to Layered Metal Dichalcogenides and Dihalides

Numerous examples of closed-cage nanostructures, such as nested fullerene-like nanoparticles and nanotubes, formed by the folding of materials with layered structure are known. These compounds include WS(2), NiCl(2), CdCl(2), Cs(2)O, and recently V(2)O(5). Layered materials, whose chemical bonds are highly ionic in character, possess relatively stiff layers, which cannot be evenly folded. Thus, stress-relief generally results in faceted nanostructures seamed by edge-defects. V(2)O(5), is a metal oxide compound with a layered structure. The study of the seams in nearly perfect inorganic "fullerene-like" hollow V(2)O(5) nanoparticles (NIF-V(2)O(5)) synthesized by pulsed laser ablation (PLA), is discussed in the present work. The relation between the formation mechanism and the seams between facets is examined. The formation mechanism of the NIF-V(2)O(5) is discussed in comparison to fullerene-like structures of other layered materials, like IF structures of MoS(2), CdCl(2), and Cs(2)O. The criteria for the perfect seaming of such hollow closed structures are highlighted.