Preparation of hierarchical worm-like silica nanotubes

The preparation of exquisite hierarchical worm-like silica nanotubes by a simple sol-gel method is successfully achieved for the first time. Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-grafted multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT-g-PDMAEMA) were used as a sacrificial template, subsequent hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane-produced MWNT-silica nanocomposites with lots of silica nanowires arranged on their surfaces. The length of the silica nanowires can be controlled by the deposition time of silica. After the templates were removed by calcination in air, hierarchical worm-like silica nanotubes with some of the characteristics of mesoporous materials, such as large surface area, multiple pore distribution and large pore volume, were obtained.