Self-assembly of glycolipids on silica nanotube templates yielding hybrid nanotubes with concentric organic and inorganic layers

The fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrid nanotubes organized into concentric layers is described. Self-assembly of glycolipids inside the confined nanospace of hollow cylindrical silica nanotubes produced a hybrid nanotube consisting of two concentric layers, one of silica and one of lipid. Addition of glucopyranosyl ammonium cation induced concomitant self-assembly of lipid layers on both the inner and the outer surfaces of the silica nanotube, producing hybrid nanotubes with concentric lipid-silica-lipid walls. Subsequent sol-gel reaction using these lipid silica-lipid nanotubes resulted in the formation of more complex hybrid nanotubes with a concentric five-layered structure of silica-lipid-silica-lipid-silica. Scanning transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to confirm the formation of the concentric alternating layers of organic and inorganic materials in the hybrid nanotubes.