Helical 1,2-ethylene-silica nanofibers with lamellar mesopores on the surfaces and twisted rod-like mesopores inside were prepared according to literature procedures. After carbonization, helical carbon/ silica nanofibers with lamellar mesopores on the surfaces and twisted rod-like micropores inside were obtained. The morphologies and pore architectures of the carbon]silica nanofibers were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and N2 sorptions. Although the mesopores inside shrank into micropores, the helical nanostructure remained. Moreover, several carbon/silica nanofibers with lamellar mesopores on the surfaces and concentric circular micropores inside were also obtained. After being calcined in air, helical silica nanofibers with lamellar mesopores on the surfaces and twisted rod-like micropores inside were produced as well.
Single-handed helical phenolic resin nanofibers were synthesized through a supramolecular templating approach using the supramolecular self-assemblies of a pair of chiral low-molecular-weight amphiphiles as the templates and 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and formaldehyde as the precursors.The phenolic resin nanofibers were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy and diffused reflection circular dichroism.The results indicated that the chirality of the supramolecular self-assemblies was successfully transferred to the phenolic resin nanofibers.The left- and right-handed helical phenolic resin nanofibers exhibited opposite optical activity.
