Optically active multi-helical erythrocyte-like Ln(OH)CO3 (Ln = La, Ce, Pr and Sm).

Hierarchical erythrocyte-like Ln(OH)CO3 with nanosized chiral structure-induced circular dichroism responses were fabricated. The CD responses were observed not only in the UV region but also in the visible region, and are assigned to the electronic transitions from the valence band to the conduction band and the mixed coupling effect between the hierarchical left-handed-assembled Ln(OH)CO3 nanorods in the multi-helical RBC-like architecture.