Alumina nanotubes containing lithium of high ion mobility

We revealed the first example of a crystalline lithium aluminate nanotube with thermal stability prepared by a surfactant-driven hydrothermal procedure. The obtained nanotube showed an interesting structure unknown thus far for oxide nanotubes such as cylindrical bundles of lithium aluminate subnanotubules. These novel nanotubules had walls of crystalline lithium aluminate with a honeycomblike Al?O wall-network surrounding a central lithium core that forms a linear array of atoms and could be a promising solid ion conducting material. Copyright © 2003 American Chemical Society.