Multithreaded conductive carbon: 1D conduction in 3D carbon

Carbon possesses various allotropes with diverse electronic properties from insulation to conduction due to the sp, sp2, and sp3 bonding types. Here, a new sp2-sp3 carbon allotrope, called C48, is proposed. C48 presents a lilac-like structure with a cage-like center and four petal-like tubes around, and can be formed through compressing single-walled carbon nanotubes. C48 is not only strong and hard in 3D but also has unexpected 1D conduction along eight divided linear pathways in the unit cell. This multithreaded 1D conduction in 3D framework is peculiar in carbon materials, and would be helpful to design singular electronic nanodevices.