Controllable fabrication of self-assembled manganese 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (Mn(PAN)2) hierarchical superstructure

Highly ordered self-assembled Mn(PAN)2 hierarchical superstructure assembled by nanobelts with width of 100-400 nm and length of 4-5 μm has been synthesized via a facile and additive-free solvothermal method. The as-synthesized Mn(PAN)2 was characterized by elemental analysis (EA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The solvent type and reaction time play an important part in the morphologies of the final sample. A possible growth process for self-assembled Mn(PAN)2 hierarchical superstructure is proposed. It is shown that the self-assembled Mn(PAN)2 hierarchical superstructure was formed through oriented attachment of nanobelts.