An analytical approach for the interlayer interaction in spherical buckyonions

A systematic analysis of the equilibrium configuration and confinement criteria for endohedral CN1@CN2 and exohedral (@CN2)CN1 fullerenes containing N1 and N2>N1 carbon atoms, respectively, is performed by using a surface continuum spherical description of the carbon shells. The case of buckyonions is more intensively studied in order to compare the results obtained from this simple but general analytical model to ab initio discrete calculations devoted to particular concentric shell fullerenes.