Abstract
Data on new carbon nanostructures including those based on fullerenes, nanotubes as well monolithic diamond-like nanoparticles, nanofibres, various nanocomposites, etc., published in the last decade are generalised. The experimental and theoretical data on their atomic and electronic structures, the nature of chemical bonds and physicochemical properties are discussed. These data are compared with the results obtained in studies of nanoforms of boron nitride, an isoelectronic analogue of carbon. Potential fields of applications of the new nanostructures are considered.