4-Regular and Self-Dual Analogs of Fullerenes

Abstract

An i-hedrite is a 4-regular plane graph with faces of size 2, 3 and 4. We do a short survey of their known properties (Deza et al. Proceedings of ICM Satellite Conference On Algebra and Combinatorics, 2003b; Deza et al. J Math Res Expo 22:49,2002; Deza and Shtogrin, Polyhedra in Science and Art 11:27, 2003a) and explain some new algorithms that allow their efficient enumeration. Using this we give the symmetry groups of all i-hedrites and the minimal representative for each. We also review the link of 4-hedrites with knot theory and the classification of 4-hedrites with simple central circuits. An i-self-hedrite is a self-dual plane graph with faces and vertices of size/degree 2, 3 and 4. We give a new efficient algorithm for enumerating them based on i-hedrites. We give a classification of their possible symmetry groups and a classification of 4-self-hedrites of symmetry T, T-d in terms of the Goldberg-Coxeter construction. Then we give a method for enumerating 4-self-hedrites with simple zigzags. NR - 12 PU - SPRINGER PI - DORDRECHT PA - PO BOX 17, 3300 AA DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS