First-principles calculations of the atomic and electronic structure
of double-wall nanotubes (DWNTs) of a-V2O5 are performed.
Relaxation of the DWNT structure leads to the formation
of two types of local regions: 1) bulk-type regions and
2) puckering regions. Calculated total density of states (DOS)
of DWNTs considerably differ from that of single-wall nanotubes
and the single layer, as well as from the DOS of the bulk
and double layer. Small shoulders that appear on edges of valence
and conduction bands result in a considerable decrease
in the band gaps of the DWNTs (up to 1 eV relative to the
single-layer gaps). The main reason for this effect is the shift of
the inner- and outer-wall DOS in opposite directions on the
energetic scale. The electron density corresponding to shoulders
at the conduction-band edges is localized on vanadium
atoms of the bulk-type regions, whereas the electron density
corresponding to shoulders at the valence-band edges belongs
to oxygen atoms of both regions.