title: General synthesis of complex nanotubes by gradient electrospinning and controlled pyrolysis.
abstract: Nanowires and nanotubes have been the focus of considerable efforts in energy storage and solar energy conversion because of their unique properties. However, owing to the limitations of synthetic methods, most inorganic nanotubes, especially for multi-element oxides and binary-metal oxides, have been rarely fabricated. Here we design a gradient electrospinning and controlled pyrolysis method to synthesize various controllable 1D nanostructures, including mesoporous nanotubes, pea-like nanotubes and continuous nanowires. The key point of this method is the gradient distribution of low-/middle-/high-molecular-weight poly(vinyl alcohol) during the electrospinning process. This simple technique is extended to various inorganic multi-element oxides, binary-metal oxides and single-metal oxides. Among them, Li3V2(PO4)3, Na0.7Fe0.7Mn0.3O2 and Co3O4 mesoporous nanotubes exhibit ultrastable electrochemical performance when used in lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, respectively. We believe that a wide range of new materials available from our composition gradient electrospinning and pyrolysis methodology may lead to further developments in research on 1D systems.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Chaojiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jiashen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xuanpeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Mengyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Kangning
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wenhao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: 1] State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Yunlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Qingjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Dongyuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Liqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mai