Controlled growth of mesostructured crystalline iron oxide nanowires and Fe-filled carbon nanotube arrays templated by mesoporous silica SBA-16 film.

The three-dimensional (3D) accessible pore structures (Imm space groups) of continuous mesoporous silica SBA-16 thin films have been prepared by a dip-coating technique in nonaqueous media under acidic conditions on indium-tin oxide glass (ITO). The films are oriented with the (111) crystal plane perpendicular to the surface of the film. On one hand, deposition of iron metal into the mesopores of SBA-16 films was achieved by using an electrochemical method. The Fe2O3 nanowire arrays were synthesized. The crystalline structures of porous Fe2O3 nanowires and nanorods were studied via TEM, SEM, and XRD. On the other hand, a small amount of Fe was deposited into the pores of the SBA-16 thin film as a catalyst, and carbon nanotube arrays formed inside the pores of SBA-16 film were fabricated by catalytic decomposition of acetylene at 700 degrees C. The second-order template synthesis method for preparing the ordered array of carbon nanotubes filled with Fe has been used. The carbon nanotubes are very uniform in diameter and length and are aligned vertically with respect to the SBA-16 film.