A novel necklace like structure assembled with MCM-41 and carbon nanotubes

We report the synthesis of MCM-41 particles which are pierced by carbon nanotubes forming a necklace like structure. We obtained these nanostructures using conventional sol-gel process for mesoporous MCM synthesis, incorporating highly disperse carbon nanotubes. This necklace like structure can be treated to eliminate the surfactant from mesoporous MCM particles obtaining thus a interconnected particles with high surface area (∼1000 m2 g−1), and calcination treatment under air can also be used to obtain the SiO2 structure free from carbon, maintaining the necklace structure. Some applications of these nanocomposites are suggested in this work.