Abstract
Linear poly(ethyleneimine) (LPEI) is highly crystalline polymer and forms fibrous aggregates after cooling processes in hot aqueous solution, which can be used as templates for the silica deposition to afford silica replicas with the same morphology. Some additives affect the crystallization processes of LPEI to change the shape of LPEI templates, which results in variously-shaped silica corresponding to the template morphologies. In addition, the LPEI crystallization on the glass substrates and successive silica duplications lead to hierarchical silica thin films with grass-like or network structures, which are not formed in the water phases.
