Lipid nanotubes: A unique template to create diverse one-dimensional nanostructures

Lipid molecules can self-assemble in liquid media into open-ended, hollow cylindrical structures, which are composed of rolled-up bilayer membrane walls. The resultant lipid nanotubes (LNTs) have a few unique properties, such as controllable diameters and length and finely functionalizable surfaces benefitting template-synthesized one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures, that no other individual templates possess. The elegant hollow cylinders of the LNT can modulate the nucleation, growth, and deposition of inorganic substances on their external and internal surfaces, in the hollow cylinder, and in the bilayer membrane wall. Templating the LNTs enables one to produce diverse 1-D nanostructures, such as nanotubes, concentric tubular hybrids, complex helical architectures, and 1-D arrays of quantum dots.