Supramolecular nanotubes with high thermal stability: a rigidity enhanced structure transformation induced by electron-beam irradiation and heat

Abstract

Extraordinarily high thermal-resistance of self-assembled supramolecular nanotubes has been discovered by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (in-situ TEM). By combining intense electron-beam irradiation and heating, the structure transformation and 1273 K sustainable thermal stability of the complex C₃₂H₇₀N₂ZnSO₄ nanotubes were directly observed. Associated chemical-bond breaking and self-organization processes are considered as main factors for the significant structural transformation. The reorganized concentric multi-walled nanotube structure with measured layer spacing of ∼2.7 nm is of such structural rigidity that it exhibits excellent thermal stability. The findings open new opportunities and show great significance for further investigations on diverse molecular architectures with the in-situ TEM platform for both fundamental and technological interest.