Self-Assembly and Metallization of Resorcinarene Microtubes in Water

Amphiphilic resorcinarene-based multiwalled microtubes, millimetres in diameter and centimetres in length, are generated in water. The thickness of the tube wall approaches 300nm. Their self-assembly properties are investigated using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction. UV-vis spectra, and Fourier transform IR techniques. From these studies, the structures critical for the self-assembly of resorcinarene into microtubes in aqueous media are determined. Furthermore, the study manifests a feasible method that aims to completely change the structure from a microtube to a sheet-like morphology by selectively eliminating key groups. Subsequently, resorcinarene-capped water-soluble gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are fabricated. By utilizing the obtained microtubes as a template, a gold/organic microtubular composite is successfully prepared.