Nanotubings of titania/polymer composite: template synthesis and nanoparticle inclusion

Novel nanotubular titania/polymer composite materials are synthesized via complete and nanometer-precise morphological replication of a porous alumina membrane with titania/polymer nanocomposite thin films. The obtained titania/polymer nanocomposite tubing is physically flexible, and can be seen as a new type of soft matter. Latex colloidal microspheres are encapsulated into the resultant nanotubing to form a unique free-standing ‘micro-beanpod’ colloidal assembly. Removal of the polymer components from the nanocomposite tubings by low-temperature oxygen plasma treatment yields titania nanotubes with porous walls. The resulting mesopores are subsequently employed as a nanoreactor for the chemical formation of gold nanoparticles to give a novel, nanostructured, particle-in-wall nanotubular hybrid. The nano-architectures demonstrated herein are generally applicable to the syntheses of various ceramic–polymer composite nanotubes and nanoparticle–nanotube hybrids.