SEM image shows a cherry-like structure produced by a bundle of silica nanowires grown on an alumina substrate. The cherry is about 20 microns in diameter. (1)  sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsfsfsfsfsdf                                                     2sdfsfdsdfsfsfsfsfsfsdfsfsfsfsfs0                        

    Nanowires are one-dimensional structures, so-called because of the large surface to volume ratio. These structures have added a new exciting phase in materials science research because they exhibit different physical phenomena caused by quantum effects. Due to their unusual properties there is large interest in applying them to create advances in electronic, optical, magnetic and thermoelectric devices.                                                      

Objective

    This website has been designed to provide general information about various nanowire-synthesis methods. These four approaches use templates as a "mold" for the nanowires. These templates have to be "filled" with the desired metal in order to form the nanowires. To achieve this, the first three approaches use electrodeposition, while the last uses electroless deposition.

• Electrodeposition is the reduction of a metal at a desired surface by passing a current through an ionic solution. An ionic, i.e., electrolytic solution containing the metal of interest is used. The metal is reduced by the use of a potentiostat that applies a voltage to the working electrode (template), thereby generating a current in the solution. This causes the metal to be reduced at the template.

• Electroless plating is the reduction of a metal without the use of electrical energy. A solution containing a chemical      reducing agent drives this reduction process.

References:

1. http://www.spacedaily.com/news/nanotech-02h.html