Instant preparation of self-assembled metal-complexed lipid nanotubes that act as templates to produce metal oxide nanotubes

Self-assembly of metal-complexed lipid nanotubes results from the simple mixing of two aqueous solutions containing a metal cation and an oligo-glycine-based lipid under mild conditions. Mn2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ in octahedral coordinations tend to form tubular structures with the lipids examined. Calcination using the Cu2+- or Mn2+- complexed lipid nanotubes as templates gives copper or manganese oxide nanotubes in a single step; a schematic illustration of a metal-complexed lipid nanotube is shown in the figure.