Formation of Chiral Mesopores in Conducting Polymers by Chiral-Lipid-Ribbon Templating and Seeding Route

Conducting polymer nanofibers with controllable chiral mesopores in the size, the shape, and handedness have been synthesized by chiral lipid ribbon templating and seeding route. Chiral mesoporous conducting poly(pyrrole) (CMPP) synthesized with very small amount of chiral amphiphilic molecules (usually < 3%) has helically twisted channels with well-defined controllable pore size of 5-20 nm in central axis of the twisted fibers. The structure and chirality of helical mesopores have been characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron tomography. The average pore diameters of chiral mesopores were approximately estimated from the N-2 adsorption-desorption data and calculated by the conversion calculation from helical ribbons to a rectangular straight tape. The pore size of CMPP has been controlled-by choosing different alkyl chain lengths of chiral lipid molecules or precisely adjusting the H2O/EtOH volume ratio.