Helical mesostructured tubules from Taylor vortex-assisted surfactant templates

Abstract

Templates for helix-structured silica microtubules are generated by subjecting worm-shaped micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide to so-called Taylor vortex flow conditions between a rotating and a stationary cylinder at controlled speed. Silica deposition from TEOS and template dissolution produce helical tubules about 100 nm in diameter and a few micrometers long (see Figure), potentially useful for chiral catalysis or optical applications.