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Teng et al. Microstructures 2023;3:2023019 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/microstructures.2023.07 Page 5 of 29

Figure 1. The liquid level rises in a capillary.

Recently, a novel method for multistep inorganic synthesis has been established, in which the pre-filled
nanotube undergoes sequential chemical transformations . For example, the metal precursors, such as
[70]
metal halides and complexes, are first pre-filled into the CNTs and then perform thermal decomposition or
Hydrogen reduction to form metal nanoparticles@CNT. After that, the second reactant, such as H S, Te, is
2
introduced and reacted with the metal nanoparticles to yield chalcogenides. For example, inorganic
nanoribbons [MS ] @SWCNT (M = Mo or W) can be prepared through sequential transformations of
2 n
M(CO) (M = Mo or W) to nanoclusters and nanoclusters to nanoribbons [Figure 2A]. Various graphene
6
nanoribbons can be obtained by high-temperature polymerization of the selected small organic molecules
encapsulated in the cavities of CNTs [Figure 2B] .
[16]

MORPHOLOGICAL AND ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF FILLED CNTS
HETEROSTRUCTURES
The characteristics of CNTs mainly include hollow nanospace morphology , conductivity, chirality , and
[71]
[72]
so on. Two critical questions must be addressed as the substance fills the carbon tube. First, how does the
coaction between the inner filler and the carbon tube modify the characters of the carbon tube itself?
Second, how does the confined space of the carbon tube affect the crystal phase and heterostructures of the
inner filler? The former has significant implications for the application of the new heterostructures, whereas
the latter can be used to study many space-confined scientific issues. Therefore, this section discusses the
morphological and electronic structure of some intriguingly filled CNTs heterostructures.