Micellar nanotubes and AAO nanopores decorated with nanoparticles.

We demonstrated that anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) enables the fabrication of micellar nanotubes and nanopores decorated with nanoparticles. Block copolymer micelles containing precursors of nanoparticles were coated on the nanopores of AAO, from which we were able to select nanotubes containing nanoparticles or nanopores decorated with nanoparticles by removing the AAO template or the copolymer. Upon removal of the AAO, the micellar nanotubes with nanoparticles were produced, whereas the nanopores of AAO were decorated with nanoparticles by eliminating the copolymer. Since a variety of nanoparticles can be synthesized in addition to full control over the size and spacing of nanoparticles by the copolymer micellar approach, the methodology demonstrated here can allow fabricating functional nanotubes or nanopores with a selection of the type and size of nanoparticles.