Analytical expressions for atom-fullerene, fullerene-fullerene and fullerene-graphite-surface interaction energies using the surface continuum approximation with an atom-atom van der Waals Buckingham potential

Using the surface continuum approximation of carbon atoms and the interatomic Buckingham potential, new analytic forms for atom-fullerene, fullerene-fullerene and fullerene-graphite interaction energies are obtained and compared with the well-known C60-C60 Girifalco potential as well as the C60-graphite potential of Ruoff and Hickman both stemming from the Lennard-Jones LJ(12,6) potential. In addition, the heat of sublimation, the nearest-neighbour distance and the compressibility of fullerite calculated from these new expressions compare favourably with the experimental values and those obtained from the Girifalco potential. The interaction energy of Li@C60 is also studied