Fabrication of mesoporous dendritic silica nanofibers by using dendritic polyaniline templates

A new method to prepare dendritic inorganic nanofibers by using dendritic polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers as templates was described. Dendritic PANI/silica composite nanofibers were synthesized via a self-assembly sol–gel progress. Both the organic and the inorganic phases were co-continuous and interpenetrated each other forming interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure. Mesoporous dendritic silica fibers were derived after removing the PANI component from the IPN structured PANI/silica fibers by calcinations. The diameters of the as-prepared silica fibers are tunable since the diameters of the PANI fibers could be controlled easily by changing the synthetic conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms experiments were employed to characterize the as-prepared nanomaterials.

► A new hard-template method to prepare dendritic inorganic nanofibers was described.
► Dendritic polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers were used as templates.
► The as-prepared inorganic fibers were mesoporous due to removing of the templates.