Templated surface sol-gel synthesis of SiO2 nanotubes and SiO2-insulated metal nanowires

Free-standing SiO2 nanotubes have been synthesized by surface sol-gel replication of the pores of alumina membranes. The nanotubes are very flexible (as shown in the Figure) and their walls are smooth and uniformly thick along their length. SiO2-insulated nanowires were also grown, by electroplating gold inside the SiO2-coated pores of the membrane, and their I-V characteristics were examined.