Embeddings of Graphs: Tessellate and Decussate Structures

Abstract

We address the problem of finding a unique graph embedding that best describes a graph’s “topology” i.e., a canonical embedding (spatial graph). This question is of particular interest in the chemistry of materials. Graphs that admit a tiling in 3-dimensional Euclidean space are termed tessellate, those that do not decussate. We give examples of decussate and tessellate graphs that are finite and 3-periodic. We conjecture that a graph has at most one tessellate embedding. We give reasons for considering this the default “topology” of periodic graphs.