Synthesis of microtubes with a surface of "house of cards" structure via needlelike particles and control of their pore size.

The conditions for synthesizing microtubes with a surface of "house of cards" structure via needlelike particles were examined in detail. Magnesium carbonate trihydrate was formed as a metastable phase in the reaction process using magnesium hydroxide and carbon dioxide as starting materials. Subsequently, in the formation of basic magnesium carbonate from magnesium carbonate trihydrate, microtubes with a surface of house of cards structure were obtained via needlelike particles of magnesium carbonate trihydrate under certain conditions where the temperature and added amount of sodium hydroxide were properly controlled. The pore size of the microtubes could be controlled within a range of 0.5-6 microm by adjusting the condition of needlelike particle formation. In addition, the sustainability of naphthalene release from the microtube was found to be about 6 times higher than that from naphthalene crystal.