Postsynthetic processing of copper hydroxide-silica tubes

Using reaction conditions far from equilibrium, we produce hollow tubes of silica-supported Cu(OH)2. The samples are then processed postsynthetically without compromising the macroscopic tubular structure. We specifically induce an amorphous-crystalline transition and demonstrate the sequential conversion of Cu(OH)2 to CuO, Cu2O, and metallic copper using thermal treatment and wet chemistry.