Selective fabrication of polymer nanocapsules and nanotubes using cyclodextrin as a nanoporogen

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanocapsules and nanotubes were selectively synthesized by microemulsion polymerisation using beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) as a nanoporogen. Iron(II) chloride (FeCl3) was used as a structure-directing agent to fabricate polymer nanotubes. In addition, the average pore size of the PAN nanocapsules and nanotubes could be controlled with the concentration of beta-CD.