Louis Girifalco University Professor   Room 403 LRSM (215) 898-3448 lag@lrsm.upenn.edu

Ph.D., Chemical Physics, University of Cincinnati, 1954.

M.S., Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 1952.

B.S., Chemistry, Rutgers University, 1950.

Research Interests

Analysis of Technological Change

Theory of nanotube systems containing intercalated and intraccalated molecules.

Statistical mechanics of one-dimensional systems.

Current Research Projects

Theory of Graphitic Structures

Those cohesive and statistical mechanical properties of graphitic structures that depend on the van der Waals interactions among them are are being studied by using the potential energy interaction functions among them in the theory of the statistical mechanics of low-dimensional structures. The systems consist of nanotubes and ropes containing fullerene molecules. The properties include interaction energies, cohesive energy, heat capacity and other thermodynamic functions, as well as the nature of the clustering of fullerene molecules in these systems. The methods used include lattice gas theory, configurational integral theory and Monte Carlo calculations

Theory of Statistical Mechanics in One Dimension:

Solutions exist for several one-dimensional statistical mechanical models in which molecules interact with nearest neighbor only. Studies are under way to extend these theories to non-nearest neighbor interaction for both lattice-gas and configurational integral methods.

Selected Publications

"Dynamics of Technological Change": (524 pp) van Nostrand Reinhold (1991)

"Statistical Mechanics of Solids": (519 pp.) Oxford University Press (2000)

"Molecular Properties of C60 in the Gas and Solid Phases" J. Phys. Chem., Vol. 96, No. 2 p. 859 (1992).

"Carbon nanotubes, buckyballs, ropes and a universal graphitic potential": (with M. Hodak and R.s. Lee); Phys. Rev. B 62, p. 13104 ((2000)

"One-dimensional statistical mechanics models with application to fullerenes in nanotubes" (with M. Hodak) Applies Physics B (2002) in press