Fabrication of Nanoscale Tubular Structures and Capsules of Oxides by ALD

Abstract

Uniform-sized metal oxide nanocapsules, termed nanoampoules, have been fabricated. Hollow nanopipes of titania (TiO2) were first fabricated onto either a polymeric template or porous anodized aluminum oxides with monodisperse cylindrical holes by using atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques. The inner volume of individual nanopipes can be tailored precisely by controlling the thickness of layers deposited with ALD. This encapsulation strategy should have potential for application in ideal drug delivery systems, gene therapy, cosmetics, inks, chemical sensors or pigments.