Facile fabrication of functional polypyrrole nanotubes via a reactive self-degraded template

Polypyrrole nanotubes with high electric conductivity and azo function have been fabricated in high yield via an in-situ polymerization. During the process fibrillar complex of FeCl3 and methyl orange (MO), acting as a reactive self-degraded template, directed the growth of polypyrrole on its surface and promoted the assembly into hollow nanotubular structures.