Bent silica nanosheets directed from crystalline templates controlled by proton donors

Linear poly(ethyleneimine) (LPEI) is easily crystallizable with the formation of various morphologies in the aqueous medium when its hot solution cooled down to room temperature. Herein, we prepared a series of crystalline precipitates of LPEI grown in the presence of proton donating compounds such as Tris–HCl, tartaric acid, amino acids, and used the precipitates in directing silica deposition. Since the proton donating compounds can mediate the pH with donating the proton to LPEI, the crystallization of LPEI evidently depended on the concentrations of the proton donating compounds. It was found that the precipitates grown in the conditions of the pH ranged 8.2–8.5 directed well-controlled bent nanosheet of silica/LPEI composites. The bent nanosheet is constructed by multi-layered structures with a little slippage between layers. The bent nanosheet silica has slit-like pore with ca. 10 nm width.