Patent ID: 8597610

Claim:
A method for preparing tubular oxide material structures, comprising the steps of: bringing a sol onto a substrate, wherein alkoxide precursors are used for the source of the sol; gelation of a surface of the sol by forming a gel film of 5 nm to 1 μm on the surface of the sol during the gelation, wherein the gel film formed onto the sol contracts, fractures, and separates to pieces with a controlled surface area by self-organizing; adding a solvent to dissolve a sol layer between the gel film and the substrate, removing the gel film pieces from the substrate, and bringing the gel film pieces into a solution, whereby by releasing the gel film pieces from the substrate, freestanding tubular oxide material structures with diameters ranging from 0.01-100 μm are formed; and oxidizing the tubular oxide material structures by heating; wherein cracking and formation of slits in the gel film cause the self-organizing separation into pieces.