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We present a versatile approach for the fabrication of well‐defined networks of interconnected metal nanotubes, which applies electroless plating to ion‐track‐etched polymer templates that enclose designed pore networks. In order to obtain self‐supporting structures, the deposition reactions must be optimized to yield conformal nanoscale metal films on microstructured substrates possessing extensive inner surfaces. Using this route, gold, copper, silver, nickel, and platinum nanotube networks are synthesized. The resulting structures can be handled macroscopically and combine a large surface area with continuous mass transport and conduction pathways, rendering them promising for application in, for example, electrocatalysis and sensing. This potential is demonstrated by employing a gold nanotube network for the amperometric detection of hydrogen peroxide, in which excellent sensitivity, catalyst utilization, and stability is achieved.

No abstract

The tailored structure of a bifunctional, semi-homogeneous NiCo-nanotube catalyst system with embedded Pd nanoparticles, is synthesised by electroless plating.

The method of electroless plating offers a facile synthesis route to high-aspect ratio metal nanotubes. Despite the simpleness of the method, the traditional approach involves hazardous and toxic chemicals, to change this Green Chemistry comes into play. Since both, nanotechnology and Green Chemistry, have become important research topics, the combination of those offers new opportunities. According to the asset of Green Chemistry, Pd nanotubes were produced by using nonhazardous chemicals. The challenge was to rebuild the sensitisation and activation process of electroless plating and to find green reaction parameters for controlling the auto-catalysed heterogeneous nucleation of Pd. The produced Pd nanotubes were characterised by SEM and EDX. Furthermore TEM characterisation was done for determining the structural properties of Pd NTs. The efficiency of reaction progress was quantified by ICP-OES and XPS measurements. To illustrate that green synthesized nanomaterials can be compared to conventional made catalysts, the Pd nanotubes were tested in a model reaction to determine the catalytic activity. For this purpose the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by NaBH4 was chosen, which finds also application in the synthesis of acetaminophen.