Fabrication of Ag2SiO3/SiO2 composite nanotubes using a one-step sacrificial templating solution approach

Nanoscale building blocks such as quantum dots, nanowires, and nanotubes have received a great deal of attention recently owing to their promising applications in various fields.([1-3]) Hollow nanostructures represent an interesting and important class of nanomaterials with wide applications, such as drug delivery, ([4-7]) cell and enzyme transplantation,([5,8]) gene therapy,([9]) and contaminated waste removal.([10]) Recently, the synthesis of inorganic nanostructures such as hollow tubes and nanowires has attracted a lot of research,([11]) owing to their potential applications in catalysis and bioanalysis,([12]) as well as bright visible photoluminescence.([13]) The modified silica nanotubes and nanotube membranes have shown potential applications in bioseparation and biocatalysis.