Analytic device including nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Fratalocchi, Andrea; Totero Gongora, Juan Sebastian; Coluccio, Maria Laura; Candeloro, Patrizio; Cuda, Gianni

2015-01-01

A device for detecting an analyte in a sample comprising: an array including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a nanochain comprising: a first nanostructure, a second nanostructure, and a third nanostructure, wherein size of the first nanostructure is larger than that of the second nanostructure, and size of the second nanostructure is larger than that of the third nanostructure, and wherein the first nanostructure, the second nanostructure, and the third nanostructure are positioned on a substrate such that when the nanochain is excited by an energy, an optical field between the second nanostructure and the third nanostructure is stronger than an optical field between the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure, wherein the array is configured to receive a sample; and a detector arranged to collect spectral data from a plurality of pixels of the array.

Nanostructured Zn and ZnO nanowire thin films for mechanical and self-cleaning applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaik, Ummar Pasha [Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Purkayastha, Debarun Dhar, E-mail: ddebarun@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Nagaland, Chumukedima, Dimapur 797103 (India); Krishna, M. Ghanashyam [Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Prof. C R Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500046 (India); Madhurima, V. [Department of Physics, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur 610004 (India)

2015-03-01

Highlights: • Zn metal films were deposited by thermal evaporation, on various substrates. • Upon annealing Zn there is transformation of the Zn nanosheets into ZnO nanowires. • ZnO nanowires are superhydrophobic and exhibit wetting transition on UV exposure. • ZnO will be useful in self-cleaning, mechanical and oxidation resistance surfaces. - Abstract: Nanostructured Zn metal films were deposited by thermal evaporation, on borosilicate glass, Quartz, sapphire, lanthanum aluminate and yttria stabilized zirconia substrates. The as-deposited films are nanocrystalline and show a morphology that consists of triangular nanosheets. The films are hydrophobic with contact angles between 102° and 120° with hardness and Young's modulus between 0.15–0.8 GPa and 18–300 GPa, respectively. Thermal annealing of the films at 500 °C results only in partial oxidation of Zn to ZnO, which indicates good oxidation resistance. Annealing also causes transformation of the Zn nanosheets into ZnO nanowires that are polycrystalline in nature. The ZnO nanowires are superhydrophobic with contact angles between 159° and 162°, contact angle hysteresis between 5° and 10° and exhibit a reversible superhydrophobic–hydrophilic transition under UV irradiation. The nanowires are much softer than the as-deposited Zn metal films, with hardness between 0.02 and 0.4 GPa and Young's modulus between 3 and 35 GPa. The current study thus demonstrates a simple process for fabrication of nanostructured Zn metal films followed by a one-step transformation to nanowires with properties that will be very attractive for mechanical and self-cleaning applications.

Preparation and properties of novel magnetic composite nanostructures: Arrays of nanowires in porous membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, M.; Hernandez-Velez, M.; Asenjo, A.; Navas, D.; Pirota, K.; Prida, V.; Sanchez, O.; Baldonedo, J.L.

2006-01-01

In the present work, we introduce our latest achievements in the development of novel highly ordered composite magnetic nanostructures employing anodized nanoporous membranes as precursor templates where long-range hexagonal symmetry is induced by self-assembling during anodization process. Subsequent processing as electroplating, sputtering or pressing are employed to prepare arrays of metallic, semiconductor or polymeric nanowires embedded in oxide or metallic membranes. Particular attention is paid to recent results on controlling the magnetic anisotropy in arrays of metallic nanowires, particularly Co, and nanohole arrays in Ni membranes

Interfacial engineering of CuO nanorod/ZnO nanowire hybrid nanostructure photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Bayram; Turkdogan, Sunay; Astam, Aykut; Baran, Sümeyra Seniha; Asgin, Mansur; Gur, Emre; Kocak, Yusuf

2018-01-01

Developing efficient and cost-effective photoanode plays a vital role determining the photocurrent and photovoltage in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Here, we demonstrate DSSCs that achieve relatively high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) by using one-dimensional (1D) zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires and copper (II) oxide (CuO) nanorods hybrid nanostructures. CuO nanorod-based thin films were prepared by hydrothermal method and used as a blocking layer on top of the ZnO nanowires' layer. The use of 1D ZnO nanowire/CuO nanorod hybrid nanostructures led to an exceptionally high photovoltaic performance of DSSCs with a remarkably high open-circuit voltage (0.764 V), short current density (14.76 mA/cm2 under AM1.5G conditions), and relatively high solar to power conversion efficiency (6.18%) . The enhancement of the solar to power conversion efficiency can be explained in terms of the lag effect of the interfacial recombination dynamics of CuO nanorod-blocking layer on ZnO nanowires. This work shows more economically feasible method to bring down the cost of the nano-hybrid cells and promises for the growth of other important materials to further enhance the solar to power conversion efficiency.

Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yongquan; Zhou, Hailong; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

In this minreview, we summarize recent progress in the synthesis, properties and applications of a new type of one-dimensional nanostructures — single crystalline porous silicon nanowires. The growth of porous silicon nanowires starting from both p- and n-type Si wafers with a variety of dopant concentrations can be achieved through either one-step or two-step reactions. The mechanistic studies indicate the dopant concentration of Si wafers, oxidizer concentration, etching time and temperature can affect the morphology of the as-etched silicon nanowires. The porous silicon nanowires are both optically and electronically active and have been explored for potential applications in diverse areas including photocatalysis, lithium ion battery, gas sensor and drug delivery. PMID:21869999

Ab initio design of nanostructures for solar energy conversion: a case study on silicon nitride nanowire.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Hui

2014-01-01

Design of novel materials for efficient solar energy conversion is critical to the development of green energy technology. In this work, we present a first-principles study on the design of nanostructures for solar energy harvesting on the basis of the density functional theory. We show that the indirect band structure of bulk silicon nitride is transferred to direct bandgap in nanowire. We find that intermediate bands can be created by doping, leading to enhancement of sunlight absorption. We further show that codoping not only reduces the bandgap and introduces intermediate bands but also enhances the solubility of dopants in silicon nitride nanowires due to reduced formation energy of substitution. Importantly, the codoped nanowire is ferromagnetic, leading to the improvement of carrier mobility. The silicon nitride nanowires with direct bandgap, intermediate bands, and ferromagnetism may be applicable to solar energy harvesting.

Fabrication of flexible silver nanowire conductive films and transmittance improvement based on moth-eye nanostructure array

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chengpeng; Zhu, Yuwen; Yi, Peiyun; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2017-07-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, liquid-crystal displays and light-emitting diodes. To date, the material of the most commonly used TCEs was indium-tin oxide (ITO), which had several intrinsic drawbacks that limited its applications in the long term, including relatively high material cost and brittleness. Silver nanowire (AgNW), as one of the alternative materials for ITO TCEs, has already gained much attention all over the world. In this paper, we reported a facile method to greatly enhance the transmittance of the AgNW TCEs without reducing the electrical conductivity based on moth-eye nanostructures, and the moth-eye nanostructures were fabricated by using a roll-to-roll ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography process. Besides, the effects of mechanical pressure and bending on the moth-eye nanostructure layer were also investigated. In the research, the optical transmittance of the flexible AgNW TCEs was enhanced from 81.3% to 86.0% by attaching moth-eye nanostructures onto the other side of the flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate while the electrical conductivity of the AgNW TCEs was not sacrificed. This research can provide a direction for the cost-effective fabrication of moth-eye nanostructures and the transmittance improvement of the flexible transparent electrodes.

Fabrication of flexible silver nanowire conductive films and transmittance improvement based on moth-eye nanostructure array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chengpeng; Zhu, Yuwen; Yi, Peiyun; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2017-01-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, liquid-crystal displays and light-emitting diodes. To date, the material of the most commonly used TCEs was indium-tin oxide (ITO), which had several intrinsic drawbacks that limited its applications in the long term, including relatively high material cost and brittleness. Silver nanowire (AgNW), as one of the alternative materials for ITO TCEs, has already gained much attention all over the world. In this paper, we reported a facile method to greatly enhance the transmittance of the AgNW TCEs without reducing the electrical conductivity based on moth-eye nanostructures, and the moth-eye nanostructures were fabricated by using a roll-to-roll ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography process. Besides, the effects of mechanical pressure and bending on the moth-eye nanostructure layer were also investigated. In the research, the optical transmittance of the flexible AgNW TCEs was enhanced from 81.3% to 86.0% by attaching moth-eye nanostructures onto the other side of the flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate while the electrical conductivity of the AgNW TCEs was not sacrificed. This research can provide a direction for the cost-effective fabrication of moth-eye nanostructures and the transmittance improvement of the flexible transparent electrodes. (paper)

Ab initio density functional calculations of ferromagnetism in low-dimensional nanostructures: From nanowires to nanorods

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zelený, Martin; Šob, Mojmír; Hafner, J.

2009-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 13 (2009), 134421/1-134421/10 ISSN 1098-0121 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100920; GA MŠk OC 147 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : magnetism of nanostructures * nanowires * iron * nickel Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.475, year: 2009

Au nanostructure-decorated TiO2 nanowires exhibiting photoactivity across entire UV-visible region for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Ying-Chih; Wang, Gongming; Chang, Kao-Der; Ling, Yichuan; Lin, Yin-Kai; Fitzmorris, Bob C; Liu, Chia-Ming; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang; Zhang, Jin Z; Hsu, Yung-Jung; Li, Yat

2013-08-14

Here we demonstrate that the photoactivity of Au-decorated TiO2 electrodes for photoelectrochemical water oxidation can be effectively enhanced in the entire UV-visible region from 300 to 800 nm by manipulating the shape of the decorated Au nanostructures. The samples were prepared by carefully depositing Au nanoparticles (NPs), Au nanorods (NRs), and a mixture of Au NPs and NRs on the surface of TiO2 nanowire arrays. As compared with bare TiO2, Au NP-decorated TiO2 nanowire electrodes exhibited significantly enhanced photoactivity in both the UV and visible regions. For Au NR-decorated TiO2 electrodes, the photoactivity enhancement was, however, observed in the visible region only, with the largest photocurrent generation achieved at 710 nm. Significantly, TiO2 nanowires deposited with a mixture of Au NPs and NRs showed enhanced photoactivity in the entire UV-visible region. Monochromatic incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency measurements indicated that excitation of surface plasmon resonance of Au is responsible for the enhanced photoactivity of Au nanostructure-decorated TiO2 nanowires. Photovoltage experiment showed that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was attributable to the effective surface passivation of Au NPs. Furthermore, 3D finite-difference time domain simulation was performed to investigate the electrical field amplification at the interface between Au nanostructures and TiO2 upon SPR excitation. The results suggested that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was partially due to the increased optical absorption of TiO2 associated with SPR electrical field amplification. The current study could provide a new paradigm for designing plasmonic metal/semiconductor composite systems to effectively harvest the entire UV-visible light for solar fuel production.

Vertical nanowire architectures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vlad, A.; Mátéfl-Tempfli, M.; Piraux, L.

2010-01-01

Nanowires and statistics: A statistical process for reading ultradense arrays of nanostructured materials is presented (see image). The experimental realization is achieved through selective nanowire growth using porous alumina templates. The statistical patterning approach is found to provide ri...

Metal nanogrids, nanowires, and nanofibers for transparent electrodes

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing; Wu, Hui; Cui, Yi

2011-01-01

Metals possess the highest conductivity among all room-temperature materials; however, ultrathin metal films demonstrate decent optical transparency but poor sheet conductance due to electron scattering from the surface and grain boundaries. This article discusses engineered metal nanostructures in the form of nanogrids, nanowires, or continuous nanofibers as efficient transparent and conductive electrodes. Metal nanogrids are discussed, as they represent an excellent platform for understanding the fundamental science. Progress toward low-cost, nano-ink-based printed silver nanowire electrodes, including silver nanowire synthesis, film fabrication, wire-wire junction resistance, optoelectronic properties, and stability, are also discussed. Another important factor for low-cost application is to use earth-abundant materials. Copper-based nanowires and nanofibers are discussed in this context. Examples of device integrations of these materials are also given. Such metal nanostructure-based transparent electrodes are particularly attractive for solar cell applications. © 2011 Materials Research Society.

Metal nanogrids, nanowires, and nanofibers for transparent electrodes

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing

2011-10-01

Metals possess the highest conductivity among all room-temperature materials; however, ultrathin metal films demonstrate decent optical transparency but poor sheet conductance due to electron scattering from the surface and grain boundaries. This article discusses engineered metal nanostructures in the form of nanogrids, nanowires, or continuous nanofibers as efficient transparent and conductive electrodes. Metal nanogrids are discussed, as they represent an excellent platform for understanding the fundamental science. Progress toward low-cost, nano-ink-based printed silver nanowire electrodes, including silver nanowire synthesis, film fabrication, wire-wire junction resistance, optoelectronic properties, and stability, are also discussed. Another important factor for low-cost application is to use earth-abundant materials. Copper-based nanowires and nanofibers are discussed in this context. Examples of device integrations of these materials are also given. Such metal nanostructure-based transparent electrodes are particularly attractive for solar cell applications. © 2011 Materials Research Society.

Electrochemical Deposition of Lanthanum Telluride Thin Films and Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Su (Ike); Farias, Stephen; Cammarata, Robert

2013-03-01

Tellurium alloys are characterized by their high performance thermoelectric properties and recent research has shown nanostructured tellurium alloys display even greater performance than bulk equivalents. Increased thermoelectric efficiency of nanostructured materials have led to significant interests in developing thin film and nanowire structures. Here, we report on the first successful electrodeposition of lanthanum telluride thin films and nanowires. The electrodeposition of lanthanum telluride thin films is performed in ionic liquids at room temperature. The synthesis of nanowires involves electrodepositing lanthanum telluride arrays into anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoporous membranes. These novel procedures can serve as an alternative means of simple, inexpensive and laboratory-environment friendly methods to synthesize nanostructured thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric properties of thin films and nanowires will be presented to compare to current state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the deposited films and nanowires are characterized using SEM and EDAX analysis.

Reactor and method for production of nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Sunkara, Mahendra Kumar; Kim, Jeong H.; Kumar, Vivekanand

2017-04-25

A reactor and method for production of nanostructures, including metal oxide nanowires or nanoparticles, are provided. The reactor includes a regulated metal powder delivery system in communication with a dielectric tube; a plasma-forming gas inlet, whereby a plasma-forming gas is delivered substantially longitudinally into the dielectric tube; a sheath gas inlet, whereby a sheath gas is delivered into the dielectric tube; and a microwave energy generator coupled to the dielectric tube, whereby microwave energy is delivered into a plasma-forming gas. The method for producing nanostructures includes providing a reactor to form nanostructures and collecting the formed nanostructures, optionally from a filter located downstream of the dielectric tube.

Controlled Synthesis of Nanowire Assemblies by Ion-Track Template Electrodeposition

OpenAIRE

Rauber, Markus

2012-01-01

The development of methods that allow the organization of nanostructures into integrated arrangements is crucial to realizing applications based on nanowires. Although various such methods exist, the direct synthesis of complex nanowire structures is one of the most suitable approaches for translating a large quantity of nanostructures into micro-/macroscale dimensions. In particular, three-dimensional (3-D) nanowire assemblies with a high integration level and adjustable connecti...

Copercolating Networks: An Approach for Realizing High-Performance Transparent Conductors using Multicomponent Nanostructured Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Das Suprem R.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Although transparent conductive oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO are widely employed as transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs for applications such as touch screens and displays, new nanostructured TCEs are of interest for future applications, including emerging transparent and flexible electronics. A number of twodimensional networks of nanostructured elements have been reported, including metallic nanowire networks consisting of silver nanowires, metallic carbon nanotubes (m-CNTs, copper nanowires or gold nanowires, and metallic mesh structures. In these single-component systems, it has generally been difficult to achieve sheet resistances that are comparable to ITO at a given broadband optical transparency. A relatively new third category of TCEs consisting of networks of 1D-1D and 1D-2D nanocomposites (such as silver nanowires and CNTs, silver nanowires and polycrystalline graphene, silver nanowires and reduced graphene oxide have demonstrated TCE performance comparable to, or better than, ITO. In such hybrid networks, copercolation between the two components can lead to relatively low sheet resistances at nanowire densities corresponding to high optical transmittance. This review provides an overview of reported hybrid networks, including a comparison of the performance regimes achievable with those of ITO and single-component nanostructured networks. The performance is compared to that expected from bulk thin films and analyzed in terms of the copercolation model. In addition, performance characteristics relevant for flexible and transparent applications are discussed. The new TCEs are promising, but significant work must be done to ensure earth abundance, stability, and reliability so that they can eventually replace traditional ITO-based transparent conductors.

Synthesis and Growth Mechanism of Ni Nanotubes and Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yiqian

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Highly ordered Ni nanotube and nanowire arrays were fabricated via electrodeposition. The Ni microstructures and the process of the formation were investigated using conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Herein, we demonstrated the systematic fabrication of Ni nanotube and nanowire arrays and proposed an original growth mechanism. With the different deposition time, nanotubes or nanowires can be obtained. Tubular nanostructures can be obtained at short time, while nanowires take longer time to form. This formation mechanism is applicable to design and synthesize other metal nanostructures and even compound nanostuctures via template-based electrodeposition.

Construction of 3D Metallic Nanowire Arrays on Arbitrarily-Shaped Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fei; Li, Jingning; Yu, Fangfang; Peng, Ru-Wen; Wang, Mu; Mu Wang Team

Formation of three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures is an important step of advanced manufacture for new concept devices with novel functionality. Despite of great achievements in fabricating nanostructures with state of the art lithography approaches, these nanostructures are normally limited on flat substrates. Up to now it remains challenging to build metallic nanostructures directly on a rough and bumpy surface. Here we demonstrate a unique approach to fabricate metallic nanowire arrays on an arbitrarily-shaped surface by electrodeposition, which is unknown before 2016. Counterintuitively here the growth direction of the nanowires is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, and the specific geometry of nanowires can be achieved by introducing specially designed shaped substrate. The spatial separation and the width of the nanowires can be tuned by voltage, electrolyte concentration and temperature in electrodeposition. By taking cobalt nanowire array as an example, we demonstrate that head-to-head and tail-to-tail magnetic domain walls can be easily introduced and modulated in the nanowire arrays, which is enlightening to construct new devices such as domain wall racetrack memory. We acknowledge the foundation from MOST and NSF(China).

Bias polarity-sensitive electrical failure characteristics of ZnSe nanowire in metal–semiconductor–metal nanostructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Tan

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The effect of bias polarity on the electrical breakdown behavior of the single ZnSe nanowire (NW in the metal–semiconductor–metal (M–S–M nanostructure under high current density and high bias conditions has been studied in the present paper. The experimental results show that the failure of the ZnSe NW in M–S–M nanostructure was sensitive to bias polarity since the NW commonly collapsed at the negatively biased Au metal electrode due to high Joule heat produced in NW at the reversely biased Schottky barrier. Thus, the electrical breakdown behavior of the ZnSe NW was highly dominated by the cathode-controlled mode due to the high resistance of the depletion region of ZnSe NW at the reversely biased Schottky contact.

Synthesis of vertically aligned metal oxide nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Roqan, Iman S.

2016-03-03

Metal oxide nanostructure and methods of making metal oxide nanostructures are provided. The metal oxide nanostructures can be 1 -dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanofibers, or nanotubes. The metal oxide nanostructures can be doped or undoped metal oxides. The metal oxide nanostructures can be deposited onto a variety of substrates. The deposition can be performed without high pressures and without the need for seed catalysts on the substrate. The deposition can be performed by laser ablation of a target including a metal oxide and, optionally, a dopant. In some embodiments zinc oxide nanostructures are deposited onto a substrate by pulsed laser deposition of a zinc oxide target using an excimer laser emitting UV radiation. The zinc oxide nanostructure can be doped with a rare earth metal such as gadolinium. The metal oxide nanostructures can be used in many devices including light-emitting diodes and solar cells.

Investigations of inorganic and hybrid inorganic-organic nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Kam, Kinson Chihang

This thesis focuses on the exploratory synthesis and characterization of inorganic and hybrid inorganic-organic nanomaterials. In particular, nanostructures of semiconducting nitrides and oxides, and hybrid systems of nanowire-polymer composites and framework materials, are investigated. These materials are characterized by a variety of techniques for structure, composition, morphology, surface area, optical properties, and electrical properties. In the study of inorganic nanomaterials, gallium nitride (GaN), indium oxide (In2O3), and vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanostructures were synthesized using different strategies and their physical properties were examined. GaN nanostructures were obtained from various synthetic routes. Solid-state ammonolysis of metastable gamma-Ga2O 3 nanoparticles was found to be particularly successful; they achieved high surface areas and photoluminescent study showed a blue shift in emission as a result of surface and size defects. Similarly, In2O3 nanostructures were obtained by carbon-assisted solid-state syntheses. The sub-oxidic species, which are generated via a self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, resulted in 1D nanostructures including nanowires, nanotrees, and nanobouquets upon oxidation. On the other hand, hydrothermal methods were used to obtain VO2 nanorods. After post-thermal treatment, infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that these nanorods exhibit a thermochromic transition with temperature that is higher by ˜10°C compared to the parent material. The thermochromic behavior indicated a semiconductor-to-metal transition associated with a structural transformation from monoclinic to rutile. The hybrid systems, on the other hand, enabled their properties to be tunable. In nanowire-polymer composites, zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) nanowires were synthesized and incorporated into polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPy) via in-situ and ex-situ polymerization method. The electrical properties of these composites are

Silicon nanowire structures as high-sensitive pH-sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belostotskaya, S O; Chuyko, O V; Kuznetsov, A E; Kuznetsov, E V; Rybachek, E N

2012-01-01

Sensitive elements for pH-sensors created on silicon nanostructures were researched. Silicon nanostructures have been used as ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) for the measurement of solution pH. Silicon nanostructures have been fabricated by 'top-down' approach and have been studied as pH sensitive elements. Nanowires have the higher sensitivity. It was shown, that sensitive element, which is made of 'one-dimensional' silicon nanostructure have bigger pH-sensitivity as compared with 'two-dimensional' structure. Integrated element formed from two p- and n-type nanowire ISFET ('inverter') can be used as high sensitivity sensor for local relative change [H+] concentration in very small volume.

Novel detached system to MnCO3 nanowires: A self-sacrificing template for homomorphous Mn3O4 and α-Mn2O3 nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei Shuijin; Peng Xiaomin; Li Xiuping; Liang Zhihong; Yang Yi; Cheng Baochang; Xiao Yanhe; Zhou Lang

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → A novel detached system along with solvothermal treatment was developed. → Radially aggregated MnCO 3 nanowires were successfully fabricated. → The detached system, solvent, surfactant and reaction time were important. → MnCO 3 nanowires could act as the self-sacrificing template for Mn 3 O 4 and α-Mn 2 O 3 . - Abstract: MnCO 3 , an important raw material, exhibits attractive properties and significant industrial applications. However, few concerns have been raised on the fabrication of its 1D nanostructures. In this paper, a novel detached system was successfully employed for the preparation of MnCO 3 nanowires by a surfactant-assisted solvothermal treatment using N,N-dimethylformamide as the solvent and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the surfactant. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were employed to study the crystal structure and morphologies of the products. Experiments showed that the detached system, solvent, surfactant and reaction time were critical for the formation of the MnCO 3 nanowires. The thermal characterization was studied by differential scanning calorimetric analysis and thermogravimetric analysis measurements. The experimental results demonstrated that the as-prepared MnCO 3 nanocrystals can act as an efficient precursor for production of homomorphous Mn 3 O 4 and α-Mn 2 O 3 nanostructures by calcination at 400 deg. C under the atmosphere of argon and air, respectively. A possible growth mechanism for the MnCO 3 nanowires was also proposed.

A model for the impact of the nanostructure size on its gas sensing properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alenezi, Mohammad R.; Alzanki, T.H.; Almeshal, A.M.

2015-01-01

The size of a metal oxide nanostructure plays a key role in its performance as a gas sensor. ZnO nanostructures with different morphologies including nanowires at different diameters and nanodisks at different thicknesses were synthesized hydrothermally. Gas sensors based on individual...... of the surface to volume ratio as well as the depletion region of the nanostructure. This work can be simply generalized for other metal oxides to enhance their performance as gas sensors....... nanostructures with different sizes were fabricated and their sensing properties were compared and investigated. Nanowires with smaller diameter size and higher surface to volume ratio showed enhanced gas sensing performance. Also, as the nanodisk thickness gets closer to the thickness of the ZnO depletion layer...

Production of zinc oxide nanowires power with precisely defined morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Mičová, Júlia; Remeš, Zdeněk; Chan, Yu-Ying

2017-12-01

The interest about zinc oxide is increasing thanks to its unique chemical and physical properties. Our attention has focused on preparation powder of 1D nanostructures of ZnO nanowires with precisely defined morphology include characterization size (length and diameter) and shape controlled in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We have compared results of SEM with dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. We have found out that SEM method gives more accurate results. We have proposed transformation process from ZnO nanowires on substrates to ZnO nanowires powder by ultrasound peeling to colloid followed by lyophilization. This method of the mass production of the ZnO nanowires powder has some advantages: simplicity, cost effective, large-scale and environment friendly.

Study of GaN nanowires converted from β-Ga2O3 and photoconduction in a single nanowire

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Mukesh; Kumar, Sudheer; Chauhan, Neha; Sakthi Kumar, D.; Kumar, Vikram; Singh, R.

2017-08-01

The formation of GaN nanowires from β-Ga2O3 nanowires and photoconduction in a fabricated single GaN nanowire device has been studied. Wurtzite phase GaN were formed from monoclinic β-Ga2O3 nanowires with or without catalyst particles at their tips. The formation of faceted nanostructures from catalyst droplets presented on a nanowire tip has been discussed. The nucleation of GaN phases in β-Ga2O3 nanowires and their subsequent growth due to interfacial strain energy has been examined using a high resolution transmission electron microscope. The high quality of the converted GaN nanowire is confirmed by fabricating single nanowire photoconducting devices which showed ultra high responsivity under ultra-violet illumination.

Quantification of nanowire uptake by live cells

KAUST Repository

Margineanu, Michael B.

2015-05-01

Nanostructures fabricated by different methods have become increasingly important for various applications at the cellular level. In order to understand how these nanostructures “behave” and for studying their internalization kinetics, several attempts have been made at tagging and investigating their interaction with living cells. In this study, magnetic iron nanowires with an iron oxide layer are coated with (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), and subsequently labeled with a fluorogenic pH-dependent dye pHrodo™ Red, covalently bound to the aminosilane surface. Time-lapse live imaging of human colon carcinoma HCT 116 cells interacting with the labeled iron nanowires is performed for 24 hours. As the pHrodo™ Red conjugated nanowires are non-fluorescent outside the cells but fluoresce brightly inside, internalized nanowires are distinguished from non-internalized ones and their behavior inside the cells can be tracked for the respective time length. A machine learning-based computational framework dedicated to automatic analysis of live cell imaging data, Cell Cognition, is adapted and used to classify cells with internalized and non-internalized nanowires and subsequently determine the uptake percentage by cells at different time points. An uptake of 85 % by HCT 116 cells is observed after 24 hours incubation at NW-to-cell ratios of 200. While the approach of using pHrodo™ Red for internalization studies is not novel in the literature, this study reports for the first time the utilization of a machine-learning based time-resolved automatic analysis pipeline for quantification of nanowire uptake by cells. This pipeline has also been used for comparison studies with nickel nanowires coated with APTES and labeled with pHrodo™ Red, and another cell line derived from the cervix carcinoma, HeLa. It has thus the potential to be used for studying the interaction of different types of nanostructures with potentially any live cell types.

Controllable growth and optical properties of InP and InP/InAs nanostructures on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Li, Junshuai; Cui, Jiangong; Ren, Xiaomin

2014-01-01

The growth and optical properties of InP and InP/InAs nanostructures on GaAs nanowires are investigated. InP quantum well and quantum dots (QDs) are formed on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires successively with increasing the deposition time of InP. The GaAs/InP nanowire heterostructure exhibits a type-II band alignment. The wavelength of the InP quantum well is in the range of 857–892 nm at 77 K, which means that the quantum well is nearly fully strained. The InP quantum dot, which has a bow-shaped cross section, exhibits dislocation-free pure zinc blende structure. Stranski-Krastanow InAs quantum dots are subsequently formed on the GaAs/InP nanowire core-shell structure. The InAs quantum dots are distributed over the middle part of the nanowire, indicating that the In atoms contributing to the quantum dots mainly come from the vapor rather than the substrate. The longest emission wavelength obtained from the InAs QDs is 1039 nm at 77 K. The linewidth is as narrow as 46.3 meV, which is much narrower than those on planar InP substrates and wurtzite InP nanowires, suggesting high-crystal-quality, phase-purity, and size-uniformity of quantum dots

Biotemplated synthesis of PZT nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Cung, Kellye; Han, Booyeon J; Nguyen, Thanh D; Mao, Sheng; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Xu, Shiyou; Naik, Rajesh R; Poirier, Gerald; Yao, Nan; Purohit, Prashant K; McAlpine, Michael C

2013-01-01

Piezoelectric nanowires are an important class of smart materials for next-generation applications including energy harvesting, robotic actuation, and bioMEMS. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT), in particular, has attracted significant attention, owing to its superior electromechanical conversion performance. Yet, the ability to synthesize crystalline PZT nanowires with well-controlled properties remains a challenge. Applications of common nanosynthesis methods to PZT are hampered by issues such as slow kinetics, lack of suitable catalysts, and harsh reaction conditions. Here we report a versatile biomimetic method, in which biotemplates are used to define PZT nanostructures, allowing for rational control over composition and crystallinity. Specifically, stoichiometric PZT nanowires were synthesized using both polysaccharide (alginate) and bacteriophage templates. The wires possessed measured piezoelectric constants of up to 132 pm/V after poling, among the highest reported for PZT nanomaterials. Further, integrated devices can generate up to 0.820 μW/cm(2) of power. These results suggest that biotemplated piezoelectric nanowires are attractive candidates for stimuli-responsive nanosensors, adaptive nanoactuators, and nanoscale energy harvesters.

Inorganic nanostructured materials for high performance electrochemical supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sheng; Sun, Shouheng; You, Xiao-Zeng

2014-01-01

Electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) are a well-known energy storage system that has high power density, long life-cycle and fast charge-discharge kinetics. Nanostructured materials are a new generation of electrode materials with large surface area and short transport/diffusion path for ions and electrons to achieve high specific capacitance in ES. This mini review highlights recent developments of inorganic nanostructure materials, including carbon nanomaterials, metal oxide nanoparticles, and metal oxide nanowires/nanotubes, for high performance ES applications.

Light-induced antifungal activity of TiO2 nanoparticles/ZnO nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haghighi, N.; Abdi, Y.; Haghighi, F.

2011-01-01

Antifungal activity of TiO 2 /ZnO nanostructures under visible light irradiation was investigated. A simple chemical method was used to synthesize ZnO nanowires. Zinc acetate dihydrate, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and deionized water were used as precursor, capping and solvent, respectively. TiO 2 nanoparticles were deposited on ZnO nanowires using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system. X-ray diffraction pattern of TiO 2 /ZnO nano-composite has represented the diffraction peaks relating to the crystal planes of the TiO 2 (anatase and rutile) and ZnO. TiO 2 /ZnO nanostructure antifungal effect on Candida albicans biofilms was studied and compared with the activity of TiO 2 nanoparticles and ZnO nanowires. The high efficiency photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanoparticles leads to increased antifungal activity of ZnO nanowires. Scanning electron microscope was utilized to study the morphology of the as prepared nanostructures and the degradation of the yeast.

Formation of tungsten oxide nanowires by ion irradiation and vacuum annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Xu-Dong; Ren, Feng; Wu, Heng-Yi; Qin, Wen-Jing; Jiang, Chang-Zhong

2018-04-01

Here we reported the fabrication of tungsten oxide (WO3-x ) nanowires by Ar+ ion irradiation of WO3 thin films followed by annealing in vacuum. The nanowire length increases with increasing irradiation fluence and with decreasing ion energy. We propose that the stress-driven diffusion of the irradiation-induced W interstitial atoms is responsible for the formation of the nanowires. Comparing to the pristine film, the fabricated nanowire film shows a 106-fold enhancement in electrical conductivity, resulting from the high-density irradiation-induced vacancies on the oxygen sublattice. The nanostructure exhibits largely enhanced surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect due to the oxygen vacancy. Thus, ion irradiation provides a powerful approach for fabricating and tailoring the surface nanostructures of semiconductors.

Ultrahigh Density Array of Vertically Aligned Small-molecular Organic Nanowires on Arbitrary Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Starko-Bowes, Ryan; Pramanik, Sandipan

2013-01-01

In recent years π-conjugated organic semiconductors have emerged as the active material in a number of diverse applications including large-area, low-cost displays, photovoltaics, printable and flexible electronics and organic spin valves. Organics allow (a) low-cost, low-temperature processing and (b) molecular-level design of electronic, optical and spin transport characteristics. Such features are not readily available for mainstream inorganic semiconductors, which have enabled organics to carve a niche in the silicon-dominated electronics market. The first generation of organic-based devices has focused on thin film geometries, grown by physical vapor deposition or solution processing. However, it has been realized that organic nanostructures can be used to enhance performance of above-mentioned applications and significant effort has been invested in exploring methods for organic nanostructure fabrication. A particularly interesting class of organic nanostructures is the one in which vertically oriented organic nanowires, nanorods or nanotubes are organized in a well-regimented, high-density array. Such structures are highly versatile and are ideal morphological architectures for various applications such as chemical sensors, split-dipole nanoantennas, photovoltaic devices with radially heterostructured "core-shell" nanowires, and memory devices with a cross-point geometry. Such architecture is generally realized by a template-directed approach. In the past this method has been used to grow metal and inorganic semiconductor nanowire arrays. More recently π-conjugated polymer nanowires have been grown within nanoporous templates. However, these approaches have had limited success in growing nanowires of technologically important π-conjugated small molecular weight organics, such as tris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3), rubrene and methanofullerenes, which are commonly used in diverse areas including organic displays, photovoltaics, thin film transistors

Study of Growth Kinetics in One Dimensional and Two Dimensional ZnO Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Xin

Because of the merits arising from the unique geometry, nanostructure materials have been an essential class of materials, which have shown great potentials in the fields of electronics, photonics, and biology. With various nanostructures being intensively investigated and successfully complemented into device applications, there has been one increasing demand to the investigation of the growth mechanism devoted to the controlled nanostructure synthesis. Motivated by this situation, this thesis is focused on the fundamental understanding of the nanostructure growth. Specifically, by taking zinc oxide as an example material, through controlling the basic driving force, that is, the supersaturation, I have rationally designed and synthesized various of nanostructures, and further applied the classical layer-by-layer growth mechanism to the understanding on the formation of these nanostructures, they are, the convex-plate-capped nanowires, the concave-plate-capped nanowires, the facet evolution at the tip of the nanowires, and the ultrathin 2D nanosheets.

Templated Control of Au nanospheres in Silica Nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tringe, J W; Vanamu, G; Zaidi, S H

2007-03-15

The formation of regularly-spaced metal nanostructures in selectively-placed insulating nanowires is an important step toward realization of a wide range of nano-scale electronic and opto-electronic devices. Here we report templated synthesis of Au nanospheres embedded in silica nanowires, with nanospheres consistently spaced with a period equal to three times their diameter. Under appropriate conditions, nanowires form exclusively on Si nanostructures because of enhanced local oxidation and reduced melting temperatures relative to templates with larger dimensions. We explain the spacing of the nanospheres with a general model based on a vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, in which an Au/Si alloy dendrite remains liquid in the nanotube until a critical Si concentration is achieved locally by silicon oxide-generated nanowire growth. Additional Si oxidation then locally reduces the surface energy of the Au-rich alloy by creating a new surface with minimum area inside of the nanotube. The isolated liquid domain subsequently evolves to become an Au nanosphere, and the process is repeated.

Three-Dimensional Superhydrophobic Nanowire Networks for Enhancing Condensation Heat Transfer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ronggui [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Wen, Rongfu [University of Colorado; Xu, Shanshan [University of Colorado; Ma, Xuehu [Dalian University of Technology; Lee, Yung-Cheng [University of Colorado

2017-12-18

Spontaneous droplet jumping on nanostructured surfaces can potentially enhance condensation heat transfer by accelerating droplet removal. However, uncontrolled nucleation in the micro-defects of nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces could lead to the formation of large pinned droplets, which greatly degrades the performance. Here, we experimentally demonstrate for the first time stable and efficient jumping droplet condensation on a superhydrophobic surface with three-dimensional (3D) copper nanowire networks. Due to the formation of interconnections among nanowires, the micro-defects are eliminated while the spacing between nanowires is reduced, which results in the formation of highly mobile droplets. By preventing flooding on 3D nanowire networks, we experimentally demonstrate a 100% higher heat flux compared with that on the state-of-the-art hydrophobic surface over a wide range of subcooling (up to 28 K). The remarkable water repellency of 3D nanowire networks can be applied to a broad range of water-harvesting and phase-change heat transfer applications.

Synthesis of platinum nanowire networks using a soft template.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yujiang; Garcia, Robert M; Dorin, Rachel M; Wang, Haorong; Qiu, Yan; Coker, Eric N; Steen, William A; Miller, James E; Shelnutt, John A

2007-12-01

Platinum nanowire networks have been synthesized by chemical reduction of a platinum complex using sodium borohydride in the presence of a soft template formed by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in a two-phase water-chloroform system. The interconnected polycrystalline nanowires possess the highest surface area (53 +/- 1 m2/g) and electroactive surface area (32.4 +/- 3.6 m2/g) reported for unsupported platinum nanomaterials; the high surface area results from the small average diameter of the nanowires (2.2 nm) and the 2-10 nm pores determined by nitrogen adsorption measurements. Synthetic control over the network was achieved simply by varying the stirring rate and reagent concentrations, in some cases leading to other types of nanostructures including wormlike platinum nanoparticles. Similarly, substitution of a palladium complex for platinum gives palladium nanowire networks. A mechanism of formation of the metal nanowire networks is proposed based on confined metal growth within a soft template consisting of a network of swollen inverse wormlike micelles.

Tree-like SnO2 nanowires and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Tao; Chen Qiyuan; Hu Huiping; Chen Ying

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires can be grown as low as 1100 deg. C by a vapour-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. → FT-IR and PL measurements have shown that the tree-like nanostructures lead to superb physical properties. → The PL spectrum of such tree-like nanowires exhibits a strong PL peak at 548 nm. - Abstract: Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires have been grown by a vapor-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. Phase, structural evolution and chemical composition were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The process yields a large proportion of ultra-long rutile nanowires of 50-150 nm diameter and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) shows that the SnO 2 nanowires are single crystals in the (1 0 1) growth direction with scattered smaller crystals or nanowires as the tree branches. The SnO 2 nanostructures were also examined using Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. A strong emission band centered at 548 nm dominated the PL spectrum of the tree-like nanowires.

Gas Sensors Based on Semiconducting Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Feng

2014-09-01

Full Text Available One-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures are unique sensing materials for the fabrication of gas sensors. In this article, gas sensors based on semiconducting nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs are comprehensively reviewed. Individual nanowires or nanowire network films are usually used as the active detecting channels. In these sensors, a third electrode, which serves as the gate, is used to tune the carrier concentration of the nanowires to realize better sensing performance, including sensitivity, selectivity and response time, etc. The FET parameters can be modulated by the presence of the target gases and their change relate closely to the type and concentration of the gas molecules. In addition, extra controls such as metal decoration, local heating and light irradiation can be combined with the gate electrode to tune the nanowire channel and realize more effective gas sensing. With the help of micro-fabrication techniques, these sensors can be integrated into smart systems. Finally, some challenges for the future investigation and application of nanowire field-effect gas sensors are discussed.

Semiconductor Nanowires: What's Next?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Peidong; Yan, Ruoxue; Fardy, Melissa

2010-04-28

In this perspective, we take a critical look at the research progress within the nanowire community for the past decade. We discuss issues on the discovery of fundamentally new phenomena versus performance benchmarking for many of the nanowire applications. We also notice that both the bottom-up and top-down approaches have played important roles in advancing our fundamental understanding of this new class of nanostructures. Finally we attempt to look into the future and offer our personal opinions on what the future trends will be in nanowire research.

Structural and optical properties of ZnMgO nanostructures formed by Mg in-diffused ZnO nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, C.-J.; Hsu, H.-C.; Cheng, H.-M.; Wu, C.-Y.; Hsieh, W.-F.

2007-01-01

ZnMgO nanostructures with wurtzite phase were prepared by thermal diffusion of Mg into the ZnO nanowires. As ZnO light-emitting devices have been operated by using ZnMgO layers as energy barrier layers to confine the carriers, it is essential to realize the characterization of ZnMgO particularly. In this work, the Mg content in Zn 1 -x Mg x O alloy determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) shows a good coincidence. The variation of lattice constant and the blueshift of near-band-edge emission indicate that Zn 2+ ions are successfully substituted by Mg 2+ ions in the ZnO lattice. In Raman-scattering studies, the change of E 2 (high) phonon line shape in ZnO:Mg nanostructures reveals the microscopic substitutional disorder. In addition to the host phonons of ZnO, two additional bands around 383 and 510 cm -1 are presumably attributed to the Mg-related vibrational modes. - Graphical abstract: We reported the synthesis of the ZnMgO nanostructures prepared by a simple vapor transport method. Magnesium-related anomalous modes are observed by Raman spectra for the first time in ZnMgO system

Light-induced antifungal activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles/ZnO nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haghighi, N. [Nano-Physics Research Lab., Department of Physics, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Abdi, Y., E-mail: y.abdi@ut.ac.ir [Nano-Physics Research Lab., Department of Physics, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Haghighi, F. [Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medical sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-09-15

Antifungal activity of TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nanostructures under visible light irradiation was investigated. A simple chemical method was used to synthesize ZnO nanowires. Zinc acetate dihydrate, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and deionized water were used as precursor, capping and solvent, respectively. TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were deposited on ZnO nanowires using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system. X-ray diffraction pattern of TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nano-composite has represented the diffraction peaks relating to the crystal planes of the TiO{sub 2} (anatase and rutile) and ZnO. TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nanostructure antifungal effect on Candida albicans biofilms was studied and compared with the activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and ZnO nanowires. The high efficiency photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles leads to increased antifungal activity of ZnO nanowires. Scanning electron microscope was utilized to study the morphology of the as prepared nanostructures and the degradation of the yeast.

Conducting polymer nanowire arrays for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Wu, Haiping; Meng, Yuena; Wei, Zhixiang

2014-01-15

This Review provides a brief summary of the most recent research developments in the fabrication and application of one-dimensional ordered conducting polymers nanostructure (especially nanowire arrays) and their composites as electrodes for supercapacitors. By controlling the nucleation and growth process of polymerization, aligned conducting polymer nanowire arrays and their composites with nano-carbon materials can be prepared by employing in situ chemical polymerization or electrochemical polymerization without a template. This kind of nanostructure (such as polypyrrole and polyaniline nanowire arrays) possesses high capacitance, superior rate capability ascribed to large electrochemical surface, and an optimal ion diffusion path in the ordered nanowire structure, which is proved to be an ideal electrode material for high performance supercapacitors. Furthermore, flexible, micro-scale, threadlike, and multifunctional supercapacitors are introduced based on conducting polyaniline nanowire arrays and their composites. These prototypes of supercapacitors utilize the high flexibility, good processability, and large capacitance of conducting polymers, which efficiently extend the usage of supercapacitors in various situations, and even for a complicated integration system of different electronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controlled Self-Assembly of Low-Dimensional Alq3 Nanostructures from 1D Nanowires to 2D Plates via Intermolecular Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jianmin; Yin, Baipeng; Fu, Shaoyan; Jin, Cuihong; Liu, Xin; Bian, Zhenpan; Li, Jianjun; Wang, Lu; Li, Xiaoyu

2018-03-01

Due to the intense influence of the shape and size of the photon building blocks on the limitation and guidance of optical waves, an important strategy is the fabrication of different structures. Herein, organic semiconductor tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminium (Alq3) nanostructures with controllable morphology, ranging from one-dimensional nanowires to two-dimensional plates, have been prepared through altering intermolecular interactions with employing the anti-solvent diffusion cooperate with solvent-volatilization induced self-assembly method. The morphologies of the formed nanostructures, which are closely related to the stacking modes of the molecules, can be exactly controlled by altering the polarity of anti-solvents that can influence various intermolecular interactions. The synthesis strategy reported here can potentially be extended to other functional organic nanomaterials.

Optical anisotropy of quasi-1D rare-earth silicide nanostructures on Si(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandola, S., E-mail: sandhya.chandola@isas.de [Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V., Schwarzschildstraße 8, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Speiser, E.; Esser, N. [Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V., Schwarzschildstraße 8, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Appelfeller, S.; Franz, M.; Dähne, M. [Institut für Festkörperphysik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin (Germany)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) is capable of distinguishing optically between the semiconducting wetting layer and the metallic nanowires of rare earth (Tb and Dy) silicide nanostructures grown on vicinal Si(001). • The spectra of the wetting layer show a distinctive line shape with a large peak appearing at 3.8 eV, which is assigned to the formation of 2 × 3 and 2 × 4-like subunits of the 2 × 7 reconstruction. The spectra of the metallic nanowires show peaks at the E{sub 1} and E{sub 2} transitions of bulk Si which is assigned to strong substrate strain induced by the nanowires. • The optical anisotropy of the Tb nanowires is larger than for the Dy nanowires, which is related to the preferential formation of more strained bundles as well as larger areas of clean Si surfaces in the case of Tb. • RAS is shown to be a powerful addition to surface science techniques for studying the formation of rare-earth silicide nanostructures. Its surface sensitivity and rapidity of response make it an ideal complement to the slower but higher resolution of scanning probes of STM and AFM. - Abstract: Rare earth metals are known to interact strongly with Si(001) surfaces to form different types of silicide nanostructures. Using STM to structurally characterize Dy and Tb silicide nanostructures on vicinal Si(001), it will be shown that reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) can be used as an optical fingerprint technique to clearly distinguish between the formation of a semiconducting two-dimensional wetting layer and the metallic one-dimensional nanowires. Moreover, the distinctive spectral features can be related to structural units of the nanostructures. RAS spectra of Tb and Dy nanostructures are found to show similar features.

Topological insulator nanowires and nanowire hetero-junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Haiming; Zhao, Lukas; Wade, Travis; Konczykowski, Marcin; Krusin-Elbaum, Lia

2014-03-01

The existing topological insulator materials (TIs) continue to present a number of challenges to complete understanding of the physics of topological spin-helical Dirac surface conduction channels, owing to a relatively large charge conduction in the bulk. One way to reduce the bulk contribution and to increase surface-to-volume ratio is by nanostructuring. Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3 nanowires and nanotubes and Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 heterojunctions electrochemically grown in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with varied (from 50 to 150 nm) pore diameters. Stoichiometric rigid polycrystalline nanowires with controllable cross-sections were obtained using cell voltages in the 30 - 150 mV range. Transport measurements in up to 14 T magnetic fields applied along the nanowires show Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) quantum oscillations with periods corresponding to the nanowire diameters. All nanowires were found to exhibit sharp weak anti-localization (WAL) cusps, a characteristic signature of TIs. In addition to A-B oscillations, new quantization plateaus in magnetoresistance (MR) at low fields (< 0 . 7T) were observed. The analysis of MR as well as I - V characteristics of heterojunctions will be presented. Supported in part by NSF-DMR-1122594, NSF-DMR-1312483-MWN, and DOD-W911NF-13-1-0159.

Template synthesis of indium nanowires using anodic aluminum oxide membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Feng; Kitai, Adrian H

2008-09-01

Indium nanowires with diameters approximately 300 nm have been synthesized by a hydraulic pressure technique using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. The indium melt is injected into the AAO template and solidified to form nanostructures. The nanowires are dense, continuous and uniformly run through the entire approximately 60 microm thickness of the AAO template. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the nanowires are polycrystalline with a preferred orientation. SEM is performed to characterize the morphology of the nanowires.

Copper Nanowire Production for Interconnect Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jin-Woo (Inventor); Meyyappan, Meyya (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A method of fabricating metallic Cu nanowires with lengths up to about 25 micrometers and diameters in a range 20-100 nanometers, or greater if desired. Vertically oriented or laterally oriented copper oxide structures (CuO and/or Cu2O) are grown on a Cu substrate. The copper oxide structures are reduced with 99+ percent H or H2, and in this reduction process the lengths decrease (to no more than about 25 micrometers), the density of surviving nanostructures on a substrate decreases, and the diameters of the surviving nanostructures have a range, of about 20-100 nanometers. The resulting nanowires are substantially pure Cu and can be oriented laterally (for local or global interconnects) or can be oriented vertically (for standard vertical interconnects).

Electrodeposition of ZnO nano-wires lattices with a controlled morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elias, J.; Tena-Zaera, R.; Katty, A.; Levy-Clement, C.

2006-01-01

In this work, it is shown that the electrodeposition is a changeable low cost method which allows, according to the synthesis conditions, to obtain not only plane thin layers of ZnO but different nano-structures too. In a first part, are presented the formation conditions of a compact thin layer of nanocrystalline ZnO electrodeposited on a conducing glass substrate. This layer plays a buffer layer role for the deposition of a lattice of ZnO nano-wires. The step of nano-wires nucleation is not only determined by the electrochemical parameters but by the properties of the buffer layer too as the grain sizes and its thickness. In this context, the use of an electrodeposition method in two steps allows to control the nano-wires length and diameter and their density. The morphology and the structural and optical properties of these nano-structures have been analyzed by different techniques as the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the X-ray diffraction and the optical spectroscopy. These studies show that ZnO nano-structures are formed of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires, presenting a great developed surface and a great optical transparency in the visible. These properties make ZnO a good material for the development of nano-structured photovoltaic cells as the extremely thin absorber cells (PV ETA) or those with dye (DSSC) which are generally prepared with porous polycrystalline TiO 2 . Its replacement by a lattice of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires allows to reduce considerably the number of grain boundaries and in consequence to improve the transport of the electrons. The results are then promising for the PV ETA cells with ZnO nano-wires. (O.M.)

Synthesis and superconductivity of In-doped SnTe nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piranavan Kumaravadivel

2017-07-01

Full Text Available InxSn1−xTe is a time-reversal invariant candidate 3D topological superconductor derived from doping the topological crystalline insulator SnTe with indium. The ability to synthesize low-dimensional nanostructures of indium-doped SnTe is key for realizing the promise they hold in future spintronic and quantum information processing applications. But hitherto only bulk synthesized crystals and nanoplates have been used to study the superconducting properties. Here for the first time we synthesize InxSn1−xTe nanostructures including nanowires and nanoribbons, which show superconducting transitions. In some of the lower dimensional morphologies, we observe signs of more than one superconducting transition and the absence of complete superconductivity. We propose that material inhomogeneity, such as indium inhomogeneity and possible impurities from the metal catalyst, is amplified in the transport characteristics of the smaller nanostructures and is responsible for this mixed behavior. Our work represents the first demonstration of InxSn1−xTe nanowires with the onset of superconductivity, and points to the need for improving the material quality for future applications.

Tuning and synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures by mechanical compression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Hongyou; Li, Binsong

2015-11-17

A mechanical compression method can be used to tune semiconductor nanoparticle lattice structure and synthesize new semiconductor nanostructures including nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, and other three-dimensional interconnected structures. II-VI or IV-VI compound semiconductor nanoparticle assemblies can be used as starting materials, including CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnS, PbSe, and PbS.

Modeling of Temperature-Dependent Noise in Silicon Nanowire FETs including Self-Heating Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Anandan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Silicon nanowires are leading the CMOS era towards the downsizing limit and its nature will be effectively suppress the short channel effects. Accurate modeling of thermal noise in nanowires is crucial for RF applications of nano-CMOS emerging technologies. In this work, a perfect temperature-dependent model for silicon nanowires including the self-heating effects has been derived and its effects on device parameters have been observed. The power spectral density as a function of thermal resistance shows significant improvement as the channel length decreases. The effects of thermal noise including self-heating of the device are explored. Moreover, significant reduction in noise with respect to channel thermal resistance, gate length, and biasing is analyzed.

EDITORIAL: Nanowires for energy Nanowires for energy

Science.gov (United States)

LaPierre, Ray; Sunkara, Mahendra

2012-05-01

This special issue of Nanotechnology focuses on studies illustrating the application of nanowires for energy including solar cells, efficient lighting and water splitting. Over the next three decades, nanotechnology will make significant contributions towards meeting the increased energy needs of the planet, now known as the TeraWatt challenge. Nanowires in particular are poised to contribute significantly in this development as presented in the review by Hiralal et al [1]. Nanowires exhibit light trapping properties that can act as a broadband anti-reflection coating to enhance the efficiency of solar cells. In this issue, Li et al [2] and Wang et al [3] present the optical properties of silicon nanowire and nanocone arrays. In addition to enhanced optical properties, core-shell nanowires also have the potential for efficient charge carrier collection across the nanowire diameter as presented in the contribution by Yu et al [4] for radial junction a-Si solar cells. Hybrid approaches that combine organic and inorganic materials also have potential for high efficiency photovoltaics. A Si-based hybrid solar cell is presented by Zhang et al [5] with a photoconversion efficiency of over 7%. The quintessential example of hybrid solar cells is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) where an organic absorber (dye) coats an inorganic material (typically a ZnO nanostructure). Herman et al [6] present a method of enhancing the efficiency of a DSSC by increasing the hetero-interfacial area with a unique hierarchical weeping willow ZnO structure. The increased surface area allows for higher dye loading, light harvesting, and reduced charge recombination through direct conduction along the ZnO branches. Another unique ZnO growth method is presented by Calestani et al [7] using a solution-free and catalyst-free approach by pulsed electron deposition (PED). Nanowires can also make more efficient use of electrical power. Light emitting diodes, for example, will eventually become the

Strain analysis of nanowire interfaces in multiscale composites

Science.gov (United States)

Malakooti, Mohammad H.; Zhou, Zhi; Spears, John H.; Shankwitz, Timothy J.; Sodano, Henry A.

2016-04-01

Recently, the reinforcement-matrix interface of fiber reinforced polymers has been modified through grafting nanostructures - particularly carbon nanotubes and ZnO nanowires - on to the fiber surface. This type of interface engineering has made a great impact on the development of multiscale composites that have high stiffness, interfacial strength, toughness, and vibrational damping - qualities that are mutually exclusive to a degree in most raw materials. Although the efficacy of such nanostructured interfaces has been established, the reinforcement mechanisms of these multiscale composites have not been explored. Here, strain transfer across a nanowire interphase is studied in order to gain a heightened understanding of the working principles of physical interface modification and the formation of a functional gradient. This problem is studied using a functionally graded piezoelectric interface composed of vertically aligned lead zirconate titanate nanowires, as their piezoelectric properties can be utilized to precisely control the strain on one side of the interface. The displacement and strain across the nanowire interface is captured using digital image correlation. It is demonstrated that the material gradient created through nanowires cause a smooth strain transfer from reinforcement phase into matrix phase that eliminates the stress concentration between these phases, which have highly mismatched elasticity.

Piezoelectric properties of zinc oxide nanowires: an ab initio study.

Science.gov (United States)

Korir, K K; Cicero, G; Catellani, A

2013-11-29

Nanowires made of materials with non-centrosymmetric crystal structures are expected to be ideal building blocks for self-powered nanodevices due to their piezoelectric properties, yet a controversial explanation of the effective operational mechanisms and size effects still delays their real exploitation. To solve this controversy, we propose a methodology based on DFT calculations of the response of nanostructures to external deformations that allows us to distinguish between the different (bulk and surface) contributions: we apply this scheme to evaluate the piezoelectric properties of ZnO [0001] nanowires, with a diameter up to 2.3 nm. Our results reveal that, while surface and confinement effects are negligible, effective strain energies, and thus the nanowire mechanical response, are dependent on size. Our unified approach allows for a proper definition of piezoelectric coefficients for nanostructures, and explains in a rigorous way the reason why nanowires are found to be more sensitive to mechanical deformation than the corresponding bulk material.

Piezoelectric properties of zinc oxide nanowires: an ab initio study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korir, K K; Cicero, G; Catellani, A

2013-01-01

Nanowires made of materials with non-centrosymmetric crystal structures are expected to be ideal building blocks for self-powered nanodevices due to their piezoelectric properties, yet a controversial explanation of the effective operational mechanisms and size effects still delays their real exploitation. To solve this controversy, we propose a methodology based on DFT calculations of the response of nanostructures to external deformations that allows us to distinguish between the different (bulk and surface) contributions: we apply this scheme to evaluate the piezoelectric properties of ZnO [0001] nanowires, with a diameter up to 2.3 nm. Our results reveal that, while surface and confinement effects are negligible, effective strain energies, and thus the nanowire mechanical response, are dependent on size. Our unified approach allows for a proper definition of piezoelectric coefficients for nanostructures, and explains in a rigorous way the reason why nanowires are found to be more sensitive to mechanical deformation than the corresponding bulk material. (paper)

A Facile Fabrication of Silver-Coated Copper Nanowires by Galvanic Replacement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin He

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrated a general strategy to fabricate silver-coated copper nanowires by a galvanic replacement, which is guided by the chemical principle that metal ions (silver ions with a relatively high reduction potential can galvanically etch nanostructure made from a less metal (copper. Well-dispersed and high-yielded copper nanowires were initially synthesized and then introduced into silver-ammonia solution for the growth of silver nanocrystals on the nanowire surfaces under vigorous oscillation. The results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope revealed that the silver nanocrystals were uniformly distributed on the copper nanowire surfaces to form Cu-Ag heterostructures. The concentration of silver-ammonia solution and the time of replacement reaction determine the size and density of the silver nanocrystals. Our investigation might pave the way to the synthesis of other bimetallic nanostructures via a facile, fast, and economical route.

Chemically synthesized metal-oxide-metal segmented nanowires with high ferroelectric response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herderick, Edward D; Padture, Nitin P; Polomoff, Nicholas A; Huey, Bryan D

2010-01-01

A chemical synthesis method is presented for the fabrication of high-definition segmented metal-oxide-metal (MOM) nanowires in two different ferroelectric oxide systems: Au-BaTiO 3 -Au and Au-PbTiO 3 -Au. This method entails electrodeposition of segmented nanowires of Au-TiO 2 -Au inside anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, followed by topotactic hydrothermal conversion of the TiO 2 segments into BaTiO 3 or PbTiO 3 segments. Two-terminal devices from individual MOM nanowires are fabricated, and their ferroelectric properties are measured directly, without the aid of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods. The MOM nanowire architecture provides high-quality end-on electrical contacts to the oxide segments, and allows direct measurement of properties of nanoscale volume, strain-free oxide segments. Unusually high ferroelectric responses, for chemically synthesized oxides, in these MOM nanowires are reported, and are attributed to the lack of residual strain in the oxides. The ability to measure directly the active properties of nanoscale volume, strain-free oxides afforded by the MOM nanowire architecture has important implications for fundamental studies of not only ferroelectric nanostructures but also nanostructures in the emerging field of multiferroics.

Two simple examples for the micro-nano integration of nanowires as electronic device elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adelung, Rainer

2011-01-01

As a part of the conference talk about the mass fabrication and applications of nanostructures, the aim of this paper is to review and compare two approaches for the simple fabrication and integration and of nanostructures into Si-based microchips. The purpose of the integration is the utilization of the different and advanced electronic properties of nanowires. The first method is based on a fracture approach, that integrates nanowires bound to a Si substrate between micro electrodes. These are arrange in a horizontal manner, the second approach allows to integrate free standing nanowires and even 3 dimensional nanowire networks in the chip. As an example for the electronic properties of the nano-micro integrated structures the UV light sensitivity is sown here.

Characterization of Nanostructured Semiconductors by Ultrafast Luminescence Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, Jolie

Single nanostructures are predicted to be the building blocks of next generation devices and have already been incorporated into prototypes for solar cells, biomedical devices and lasers. Their role in such applications requires a fundamental understanding of their opto-electronic properties and in particular the charge carrier dynamics occurring on an ultrafast timescale. Luminescence detection is a common approach used to investigate electronic properties of nanostructures because of the contact-less nature of these methods. They are, however, often not equipped to efficiently measure multiple single nanostructures nor do they have the temporal resolution necessary for observing femtosecond dynamics. This dissertation intends to address this paucity of techniques available for the contact-less measurement of single nanostructures through the development of an ultrafast wide-field Kerr-gated microscope system and measurement technique. The setup, operational in both the steady state and transient mode and capable of microscopic and spectroscopic measurements, was developed to measure the transient luminescence of single semiconductor nanostructures. With sub micron spatial resolution and the potential to achieve a temporal resolution greater than 90 fs, the system was used to probe the charge carrier dynamics at multiple discrete locations on single nanowires exhibiting amplified spontaneous emission. Using a rate model for amplified spontaneous emission, the transient emission data was fitted to extract the values of the competing Shockley-Read-Hall, non-geminate and Auger recombination constants. The capabilities of the setup were first demonstrated in the visible detection range, where single nanowires of the ternary alloy CdS x Se1-x were measured. The temporal emission dynamics at two separate locations were compared and calculation of the Langevin mobility revealed that the large carrier densities generated in the nanowire allows access to non

Transformation of bulk alloys to oxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Danni; Benson, Jim; Magasinski, Alexandre; Berdichevsky, Gene; Yushin, Gleb

2017-01-01

One dimensional (1D) nanostructures offer prospects for enhancing the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of a broad range of functional materials and composites, but their synthesis methods are typically elaborate and expensive. We demonstrate a direct transformation of bulk materials into nanowires under ambient conditions without the use of catalysts or any external stimuli. The nanowires form via minimization of strain energy at the boundary of a chemical reaction front. We show the transformation of multimicrometer-sized particles of aluminum or magnesium alloys into alkoxide nanowires of tunable dimensions, which are converted into oxide nanowires upon heating in air. Fabricated separators based on aluminum oxide nanowires enhanced the safety and rate capabilities of lithium-ion batteries. The reported approach allows ultralow-cost scalable synthesis of 1D materials and membranes.

Self-powered heat-resistant polymeric 1D nanowires and 3D micro/nanowire assemblies in a pressure-crystallized size-distributed graphene oxide/poly (vinylidene fluoride) composite

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Pengfei; Lyu, Jun; Huang, Rui; Zhang, Chaoliang

2017-12-01

Piezoelectric one- (1D) and three-dimensional (3D) hybrid micro/nanostructured materials have received intense research interest because of their ability in capturing trace amounts of energy and transforming it into electrical energy. In this work, a size-distributed graphene oxide (GO) was utilized for the concurrent growth of both the 1D nanowires and 3D micro/nanowire architectures of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with piezoelectricity. The in situ formation of the polymeric micro/nanostructures, with crystalline beta phase, was achieved by the high-pressure crystallization of a well dispersed GO/PVDF composite, fabricated by an environmentally friendly physical approach. Particularly, by controlling the crystallization conditions of the binary composite at high pressure, the melting point of the polymeric micro/nanowires, which further constructed the 3D micro/nanoarchitectures, was nearly 30°C higher than that of the original PVDF. The large scale simultaneous formation of the 1D and 3D micro/nanostructures was attributed to a size-dependent catalysis of the GOs in the pressure-treated composite system. The as-fabricated heat-resistant hybrid micro/nanoarchitectures, consisting of GOs and piezoelectric PVDF micro/nanowires, may permit niche applications in self-powered micro/nanodevices for energy scavenging from their working environments.

Towards an elastic model of wurtzite AlN nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitrushchenkov, A; Chambaud, G; Yvonnet, J; He, Q-C

2010-01-01

Starting with ab initio calculations of AlN wurtzite [0001] nanowires with diameters up to 4 nm, a finite element method is developed to deal with larger nanostructures/nanoparticles. The ab initio calculations show that the structure of the nanowires can be well represented by an internal part with AlN bulk elastic properties, and one atomic surface layer with its own elastic behavior. The proposed finite element method includes surface elements with their own elastic properties using surface elastic coefficients deduced from the ab initio calculations. The elastic properties obtained with the finite element model compare very well with those obtained with the full ab initio calculations.

Low temperature synthesis of seed mediated CuO bundle of nanowires, their structural characterisation and cholesterol detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ibupoto, Z.H., E-mail: zafar.hussin.ibupoto@liu.se [Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Campus Norrköping, SE-60174 Norrköping (Sweden); Khun, K. [Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Campus Norrköping, SE-60174 Norrköping (Sweden); Liu, X. [Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, 58183 Linköping Sweden (Sweden); Willander, M. [Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Campus Norrköping, SE-60174 Norrköping (Sweden)

2013-10-15

In this study, we have successfully synthesised CuO bundle of nanowires using simple, cheap and low temperature hydrothermal growth method. The growth parameters such as precursor concentration and time for duration of growth were optimised. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) has demonstrated that the CuO bundles of nanowires are highly dense, uniform and perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has demonstrated that the CuO nanostructures consist of bundle of nanowires and their growth pattern is along the [010] direction. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique described that CuO bundle of nanowires possess the monoclinic crystal phase. The surface and chemical composition analyses were carried out with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique and the obtained results suggested the pure crystal state of CuO nanostructures. In addition, the CuO nanowires were used for the cholesterol sensing application by immobilising the cholesterol oxidase through electrostatic attraction. The infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy study has also revealed that CuO nanostructures are consisting of only Cu-O bonding and has also shown the possible interaction of cholesterol oxidase with the sharp edge surface of CuO bundle of nanowires. The proposed cholesterol sensor has demonstrated the wide range of detection of cholesterol with good sensitivity of 33.88 ± 0.96 mV/decade. Moreover, the CuO bundle of nanowires based sensor electrode has revealed good repeatability, reproducibility, stability, selectivity and a fast response time of less than 10 s. The cholesterol sensor based on the immobilised cholesterol oxidase has good potential applicability for the determination of cholesterol from the human serum and other biological samples. - Highlights: • This study describes the synthesis of bundle of CuO nanowires by hydrothermal method. • CuO nanostructures exhibit good alignment and

Low temperature synthesis of seed mediated CuO bundle of nanowires, their structural characterisation and cholesterol detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibupoto, Z.H.; Khun, K.; Liu, X.; Willander, M.

2013-01-01

In this study, we have successfully synthesised CuO bundle of nanowires using simple, cheap and low temperature hydrothermal growth method. The growth parameters such as precursor concentration and time for duration of growth were optimised. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) has demonstrated that the CuO bundles of nanowires are highly dense, uniform and perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has demonstrated that the CuO nanostructures consist of bundle of nanowires and their growth pattern is along the [010] direction. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique described that CuO bundle of nanowires possess the monoclinic crystal phase. The surface and chemical composition analyses were carried out with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique and the obtained results suggested the pure crystal state of CuO nanostructures. In addition, the CuO nanowires were used for the cholesterol sensing application by immobilising the cholesterol oxidase through electrostatic attraction. The infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy study has also revealed that CuO nanostructures are consisting of only Cu-O bonding and has also shown the possible interaction of cholesterol oxidase with the sharp edge surface of CuO bundle of nanowires. The proposed cholesterol sensor has demonstrated the wide range of detection of cholesterol with good sensitivity of 33.88 ± 0.96 mV/decade. Moreover, the CuO bundle of nanowires based sensor electrode has revealed good repeatability, reproducibility, stability, selectivity and a fast response time of less than 10 s. The cholesterol sensor based on the immobilised cholesterol oxidase has good potential applicability for the determination of cholesterol from the human serum and other biological samples. - Highlights: • This study describes the synthesis of bundle of CuO nanowires by hydrothermal method. • CuO nanostructures exhibit good alignment and

Self-Assembled InAs Nanowires as Optical Reflectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Floris

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Subwavelength nanostructured surfaces are realized with self-assembled vertically-aligned InAs nanowires, and their functionalities as optical reflectors are investigated. In our system, polarization-resolved specular reflectance displays strong modulations as a function of incident photon energy and angle. An effective-medium model allows one to rationalize the experimental findings in the long wavelength regime, whereas numerical simulations fully reproduce the experimental outcomes in the entire frequency range. The impact of the refractive index of the medium surrounding the nanostructure assembly on the reflectance was estimated. In view of the present results, sensing schemes compatible with microfluidic technologies and routes to innovative nanowire-based optical elements are discussed.

Effect of Silicon Nanowire on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Characteristics

OpenAIRE

Zahra Ostadmahmoodi Do; Tahereh Fanaei Sheikholeslami; Hassan Azarkish

2016-01-01

Nanowires (NWs) are recently used in several sensor or actuator devices to improve their ordered characteristics. Silicon nanowire (Si NW) is one of the most attractive one-dimensional nanostructures semiconductors because of its unique electrical and optical properties. In this paper, silicon nanowire (Si NW), is synthesized and characterized for application in photovoltaic device. Si NWs are prepared using wet chemical etching method which is commonly used as a simple and low cost method fo...

Surface Passivation of GaN Nanowires for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water-Splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Varadhan, Purushothaman; Fu, Hui-Chun; Priante, Davide; Retamal, Jose Ramon Duran; Zhao, Chao; Ebaid, Mohamed; Ng, Tien Khee; Ajia, Idirs; Mitra, Somak; Roqan, Iman S; Ooi, Boon S; He, Jr-Hau

2017-03-08

Hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical water-splitting is a key source of clean and sustainable energy. The use of one-dimensional nanostructures as photoelectrodes is desirable for photoelectrochemical water-splitting applications due to the ultralarge surface areas, lateral carrier extraction schemes, and superior light-harvesting capabilities. However, the unavoidable surface states of nanostructured materials create additional charge carrier trapping centers and energy barriers at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface, which severely reduce the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. In this work, we address the issue of surface states in GaN nanowire photoelectrodes by employing a simple and low-cost surface treatment method, which utilizes an organic thiol compound (i.e., 1,2-ethanedithiol). The surface-treated photocathode showed an enhanced photocurrent density of -31 mA/cm 2 at -0.2 V versus RHE with an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 18.3%, whereas untreated nanowires yielded only 8.1% efficiency. Furthermore, the surface passivation provides enhanced photoelectrochemical stability as surface-treated nanowires retained ∼80% of their initial photocurrent value and produced 8000 μmol of gas molecules over 55 h at acidic conditions (pH ∼ 0), whereas the untreated nanowires demonstrated only passivation of nanostructured photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical applications.

Ultra-thin graphene edges at the nanowire tips: a cascade cold cathode with two-stage field amplification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maiti, Uday N; Majumder, Tapas Pal; Maiti, Soumen; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan K

2011-01-01

A multistage field emitter based on graphene-linked ZnO nanowire array is realized by means of spin-coating a graphene dispersion (reduced graphene oxide) over a nanostructured platform followed by plasma modification. Spin-coating leads to interlinking of graphene sheets between the neighboring nanowires whereas plasma etching in the subsequent step generates numerous ultra-sharp graphene edges at the nanowire tips. The inherent tendency of graphene to lay flat over a plane substrate can easily be bypassed through the currently presented nanostructure platform based technique. The turn-on and threshold field significantly downshifted compared to the individual components in the cascade emitter. Through the facile electron transfer from nanowires to graphene due to band bending at the ZnO–graphene interface together with multistage geometrical field enhancement at both the nanowire and graphene edges remain behind this enriched field emission from the composite cold cathode. This strategy will open up a new direction to integrate the functionalities of both the graphene array and several other inorganic nanostructure array for practical electronic devices.

Synthesis and magnetic properties of bundled and dispersed Co3O4 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, B.B.; Wang, P.F.; Xu, J.C.; Han, Y.B.; Jin, H.X.; Jin, D.F.; Peng, X.L.; Hong, B.; Li, J.; Yang, Y.T.; Gong, J.; Ge, H.L.; Wang, X.Q.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Co 3 O 4 nanowires possessed the same diameter and the different interwires distance. • All samples possessed antiferromagnetism and superparamagnetism at high temperature. • The exchange bias effect was observed at low temperature. • The surface spin coupling restrained the surface effect of magnetic nanostructures. - Abstract: The magnetic Co 3 O 4 nanowires were synthesized using the templates of SBA-15, and then the well-dispersed nanowires (D-wires) were separated from the bundled ordered nanowires (B-wires) with the centrifugal technique. TEM images indicated that D-wires were highly dispersed Co 3 O 4 nanowires and B-wires existed in bundles. All samples possessed the antiferromagnetism and superparamagnetism at high temperature. After revealing the intrinsic magnetic properties of Co 3 O 4 nanowires with D-wires, the magnetic behavior of B-wires was discussed in detail, and then the magnetic interaction between neighboring nanowires could be deduced. The exchange bias effect from the body Co 3 O 4 antiferromagnetism and surface ferromagnetism was observed at low temperature. The magnetization of B-wires was higher than that of D-wires, which was attributed to the constraint of the surface spin coupling between the neighboring nanowires to the surface affect of nanostructures.

Si nanoparticle-decorated Si nanowire networks for Li-ion battery anodes

KAUST Repository

Hu, Liangbing

2011-01-01

We designed and fabricated binder-free, 3D porous silicon nanostructures for Li-ion battery anodes, where Si nanoparticles electrically contact current collectors via vertically grown silicon nanowires. When compared with a Si nanowire anode, the areal capacity was increased by a factor of 4 without having to use long, high temperature steps under vacuum that vapour-liquid-solid Si nanowire growth entails. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Photonic Nanostructures Design and Optimization for Solar Cell Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Liu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a semiconducting photonic nanostructure capable of wide range absorption and tunable optical resonance has been designed with a proposed theoretical optimization model. The design consists of ZnO/CdS core-shell nanowire arrays as well as multilayer thin films that act to absorb incident electromagnetic (EM waves over a broad frequency range. Theoretical, as well as numerical, studies of the nanostructure inside a solar cell plate have been conducted in order to validate the proposed microstructural design. Excellent energy absorption rates of EM waves have been achieved in the high frequency range by using the optical resonance of the nanowire array. By combining multilayer thin film with the core-shell nanowire in the unit cell of a photonic solar cell, a broadband high absorption has been achieved. Moreover, the geometry of the proposed photonic nanostructure is obtained through the implementation of a genetic algorithm. This avoids local minima and an optimized absorption rate of ~90% over the frequency range of 300 to 750 THz has been obtained in the solar cell.

Dissolution-Induced Nanowire Synthesis on Hot-Dip Galvanized Surface in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaretti Kaleva

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, we demonstrate a rapid treatment method for producing a needle-like nanowire structure on a hot-dip galvanized sheet at a temperature of 50 °C. The processing method involved only supercritical carbon dioxide and water to induce a reaction on the zinc surface, which resulted in growth of zinc hydroxycarbonate nanowires into flower-like shapes. This artificial patina nanostructure predicts high surface area and offers interesting opportunities for its use in industrial high-end applications. The nanowires can significantly improve paint adhesion and promote electrochemical stability for organic coatings, or be converted to ZnO nanostructures by calcining to be used in various semiconductor applications.

Study of resonant processes in plasmonic nanostructures for sensor applications (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Pirunčík, Jiří; Kwiecien, Pavel; Fiala, Jan; Richter, Ivan

2017-05-01

This contribution is focused on the numerical studies of resonant processes in individual plasmonic nanostructures, with the attention particularly given to rectangular nanoparticles and concominant localized surface plasmon resonance processes. Relevant models for the description and anylysis of localized surface plasmon resonance are introduced, in particular: quasistatic approximation, Mie theory and in particular, a generalized (quasi)analytical approach for treating rectangularly shaped nanostructures. The parameters influencing resonant behavior of nanoparticles are analyzed with special interest in morphology and sensor applications. Results acquired with Lumerical FDTD Solutions software, using finite-difference time-domain simulation method, are shown and discussed. Simulations were mostly performed for selected nanostructures composed of finite rectangular nanowires with square cross-sections. Systematic analysis is made for single nanowires with varying length, parallel couple of nanowires with varying gap (cut -wires) and selected dolmen structures with varying gap between one nanowire transversely located with respect to parallel couple of nanowires (in both in-plane and -out-of-plane arrangements). The dependence of resonant peaks of cross-section spectral behavior (absorption, scattering, extinction) and their tunability via suitable structuring and morphology changes are primarily researched. These studies are then followed with an analysis of the effect of periodic arrangements. The results can be usable with respect to possible sensor applications.

Photo-driven autonomous hydrogen generation system based on hierarchically shelled ZnO nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Heejin; Yong, Kijung

2013-01-01

A quantum dot semiconductor sensitized hierarchically shelled one-dimensional ZnO nanostructure has been applied as a quasi-artificial leaf for hydrogen generation. The optimized ZnO nanostructure consists of one dimensional nanowire as a core and two-dimensional nanosheet on the nanowire surface. Furthermore, the quantum dot semiconductors deposited on the ZnO nanostructures provide visible light harvesting properties. To realize the artificial leaf, we applied the ZnO based nanostructure as a photoelectrode with non-wired Z-scheme system. The demonstrated un-assisted photoelectrochemical system showed the hydrogen generation properties under 1 sun condition irradiation. In addition, the quantum dot modified photoelectrode showed 2 mA/cm 2 current density at the un-assisted condition

Chemically synthesized metal-oxide-metal segmented nanowires with high ferroelectric response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herderick, Edward D; Padture, Nitin P [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Emergent Materials, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Polomoff, Nicholas A; Huey, Bryan D, E-mail: padture.1@osu.edu [Department of Chemical, Materials, and Biomolecular Engineering, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 (United States)

2010-08-20

A chemical synthesis method is presented for the fabrication of high-definition segmented metal-oxide-metal (MOM) nanowires in two different ferroelectric oxide systems: Au-BaTiO{sub 3}-Au and Au-PbTiO{sub 3}-Au. This method entails electrodeposition of segmented nanowires of Au-TiO{sub 2}-Au inside anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, followed by topotactic hydrothermal conversion of the TiO{sub 2} segments into BaTiO{sub 3} or PbTiO{sub 3} segments. Two-terminal devices from individual MOM nanowires are fabricated, and their ferroelectric properties are measured directly, without the aid of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods. The MOM nanowire architecture provides high-quality end-on electrical contacts to the oxide segments, and allows direct measurement of properties of nanoscale volume, strain-free oxide segments. Unusually high ferroelectric responses, for chemically synthesized oxides, in these MOM nanowires are reported, and are attributed to the lack of residual strain in the oxides. The ability to measure directly the active properties of nanoscale volume, strain-free oxides afforded by the MOM nanowire architecture has important implications for fundamental studies of not only ferroelectric nanostructures but also nanostructures in the emerging field of multiferroics.

Hierarchical Assembly of Multifunctional Oxide-based Composite Nanostructures for Energy and Environmental Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Jan Lin

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Composite nanoarchitectures represent a class of nanostructured entities that integrates various dissimilar nanoscale building blocks including nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanofilms toward realizing multifunctional characteristics. A broad array of composite nanoarchitectures can be designed and fabricated, involving generic materials such as metal, ceramics, and polymers in nanoscale form. In this review, we will highlight the latest progress on composite nanostructures in our research group, particularly on various metal oxides including binary semiconductors, ABO₃-type perovskites, A₂BO₄ spinels and quaternary dielectric hydroxyl metal oxides (AB(OH₆ with diverse application potential. Through a generic template strategy in conjunction with various synthetic approaches—such as hydrothermal decomposition, colloidal deposition, physical sputtering, thermal decomposition and thermal oxidation, semiconductor oxide alloy nanowires, metal oxide/perovskite (spinel composite nanowires, stannate based nanocompostes, as well as semiconductor heterojunction—arrays and networks have been self-assembled in large scale and are being developed as promising classes of composite nanoarchitectures, which may open a new array of advanced nanotechnologies in solid state lighting, solar absorption, photocatalysis and battery, auto-emission control, and chemical sensing.

Morphology-dependent activity of Pt nanocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in acidic media: Nanowires versus nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Weiping; Li Meng; Koenigsmann, Christopher; Ma Chao; Wong, Stanislaus S.; Adzic, Radoslav R.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We demonstrate the morphology effect of Pt catalysts in electrooxidation of ethanol and CO in an acidic solution. → Pt nanowires and nanoparticles were used as catalysts. → Pt nanowires display a higher catalytic activity by a factor of at least two relative to those nanoparticles for ethanol oxidation. → The rate for CO monolayer oxidation exhibits similar morphology-dependent behavior with a markedly enhanced rate on the Pt nanowires. - Abstract: The morphology of nanostructured Pt catalysts is known to affect significantly the kinetics of various reactions. Herein, we report on a pronounced morphology effect in the electrooxidation of ethanol and carbon monoxide (CO) on Pt nanowires and nanoparticles in an acidic solution. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis showed the inherent morphology difference between these two nanostructured catalysts. Voltammetric and chronoamperometric studies of the ethanol electrooxidation revealed that these nanowires had a higher catalytic activity by a factor of two relative to these nanoparticles. The rate for CO monolayer oxidation exhibits similar morphology-dependent behavior with a markedly enhanced rate on the Pt nanowires. In situ infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed a different trend for chemisorbed CO formation and CO 2 -to-acetic acid reaction product ratios on these two nanostructures. The morphology-induced change in catalytic activity and selectivity in ethanol electrocatalysis is discussed in detail.

Morphology-dependent activity of Pt nanocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in acidic media: Nanowires versus nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou Weiping, E-mail: wpzhou@bnl.gov [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Li Meng [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Koenigsmann, Christopher [Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (United States); Ma Chao [Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Building 480, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Wong, Stanislaus S. [Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (United States); Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Building 480, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Adzic, Radoslav R. [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

2011-11-30

Highlights: > We demonstrate the morphology effect of Pt catalysts in electrooxidation of ethanol and CO in an acidic solution. > Pt nanowires and nanoparticles were used as catalysts. > Pt nanowires display a higher catalytic activity by a factor of at least two relative to those nanoparticles for ethanol oxidation. > The rate for CO monolayer oxidation exhibits similar morphology-dependent behavior with a markedly enhanced rate on the Pt nanowires. - Abstract: The morphology of nanostructured Pt catalysts is known to affect significantly the kinetics of various reactions. Herein, we report on a pronounced morphology effect in the electrooxidation of ethanol and carbon monoxide (CO) on Pt nanowires and nanoparticles in an acidic solution. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis showed the inherent morphology difference between these two nanostructured catalysts. Voltammetric and chronoamperometric studies of the ethanol electrooxidation revealed that these nanowires had a higher catalytic activity by a factor of two relative to these nanoparticles. The rate for CO monolayer oxidation exhibits similar morphology-dependent behavior with a markedly enhanced rate on the Pt nanowires. In situ infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy measurements revealed a different trend for chemisorbed CO formation and CO{sub 2}-to-acetic acid reaction product ratios on these two nanostructures. The morphology-induced change in catalytic activity and selectivity in ethanol electrocatalysis is discussed in detail.

A simple method of growing silver chloride nanocubes on silver nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinzadeh Khaligh, Hadi; Goldthorpe, Irene A.

2015-09-01

The growth of AgCl nanocubes directly on the sidewalls of Ag nanowires is demonstrated. The nanocubes can be simply obtained through extended low temperature annealing of polyol-synthesized silver nanowires in a vacuum. The length of time and temperature of the anneal and the diameter of the nanowire affect the size and density of the nanocubes obtained. It is hypothesized that the AgCl material is supplied from reactants leftover from the silver nanowire synthesis. This novel hybrid nanostructure may have applications in areas such as photovoltaics, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and photocatalysis.

Facile synthesis of polypyrrole nanowires for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Junhong; Wu, Jinping; Li, Bing; Du, Weimin; Huang, Qingli; Zheng, Mingbo; Xue, Huaiguo; Pang, Huan

2016-01-01

Polypyrrole nanowires are facile synthesized under a mild condition with FeCl3 as an oxidant. Polypyrrole nanowires with the width of 120 nm form many nanogaps or pores due to the intertwined nanostructures. More importantly, PPy nanowires were further applied for supercapacitor electrode materials. After electrochemical testing, it was observed that the PPy nanowire based electrode showed a large specific capacitance (420 F g−1, 1.5 A g−1) and good rate capability (272 F g−1, 18.0 A g−1), wh...

Metal chalcogenide nanostructures for renewable energy applications

CERN Document Server

Qurashi, Ahsanulhaq

2014-01-01

This first ever reference book that focuses on metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures for renewable energy applications encapsulates the state-of-the-art in multidisciplinary research on the metal chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures (nanocrystals, nanoparticles, nanorods, nanowires,  nanobelts, nanoflowers, nanoribbons and more).  The properties and synthesis of a class of nanomaterials is essential to renewable energy manufacturing and this book focuses on the synthesis of metal chalcogendie nanostructures, their growth mechanism, optical, electrical, and other important prop

Surface Passivation of GaN Nanowires for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water-Splitting

KAUST Repository

Varadhan, Purushothaman; Fu, Hui-chun; Priante, Davide; Duran Retamal, Jose Ramon; Zhao, Chao; Ebaid, Mohamed; Ng, Tien Khee; Ajia, Idris A.; Mitra, Somak; Roqan, Iman S.; Ooi, Boon S.; He, Jr-Hau

2017-01-01

Hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical water-splitting is a key source of clean and sustainable energy. The use of one-dimensional nanostructures as photoelectrodes is desirable for photoelectrochemical water-splitting applications due to the ultralarge surface areas, lateral carrier extraction schemes, and superior light-harvesting capabilities. However, the unavoidable surface states of nanostructured materials create additional charge carrier trapping centers and energy barriers at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface, which severely reduce the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. In this work, we address the issue of surface states in GaN nanowire photoelectrodes by employing a simple and low-cost surface treatment method, which utilizes an organic thiol compound (i.e., 1,2-ethanedithiol). The surface-treated photocathode showed an enhanced photocurrent density of −31 mA/cm at −0.2 V versus RHE with an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 18.3%, whereas untreated nanowires yielded only 8.1% efficiency. Furthermore, the surface passivation provides enhanced photoelectrochemical stability as surface-treated nanowires retained ∼80% of their initial photocurrent value and produced 8000 μmol of gas molecules over 55 h at acidic conditions (pH ∼ 0), whereas the untreated nanowires demonstrated only <4 h of photoelectrochemical stability. These findings shed new light on the importance of surface passivation of nanostructured photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical applications.

Surface Passivation of GaN Nanowires for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water-Splitting

KAUST Repository

Varadhan, Purushothaman

2017-02-08

Hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical water-splitting is a key source of clean and sustainable energy. The use of one-dimensional nanostructures as photoelectrodes is desirable for photoelectrochemical water-splitting applications due to the ultralarge surface areas, lateral carrier extraction schemes, and superior light-harvesting capabilities. However, the unavoidable surface states of nanostructured materials create additional charge carrier trapping centers and energy barriers at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface, which severely reduce the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. In this work, we address the issue of surface states in GaN nanowire photoelectrodes by employing a simple and low-cost surface treatment method, which utilizes an organic thiol compound (i.e., 1,2-ethanedithiol). The surface-treated photocathode showed an enhanced photocurrent density of −31 mA/cm at −0.2 V versus RHE with an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 18.3%, whereas untreated nanowires yielded only 8.1% efficiency. Furthermore, the surface passivation provides enhanced photoelectrochemical stability as surface-treated nanowires retained ∼80% of their initial photocurrent value and produced 8000 μmol of gas molecules over 55 h at acidic conditions (pH ∼ 0), whereas the untreated nanowires demonstrated only <4 h of photoelectrochemical stability. These findings shed new light on the importance of surface passivation of nanostructured photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical applications.

A novel rotating electrochemically anodizing process to fabricate titanium oxide surface nanostructures enhancing the bioactivity of osteoblastic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chih-Hung; Lee, Hsin-Chun; Chen, Chia-Chun; Wu, Yi-Hau; Hsu, Yuan-Ming; Chang, Yin-Pen; Yang, Ta-I; Fang, Hsu-Wei

2012-07-01

Titanium oxide (TiO(2) ) surface layers with various surface nanostructures (nanotubes and nanowires) have been developed using an anodizing technique. The pore size and length of TiO(2) nanotubes can be tailored by changing the anodizing time and applied voltage. We developed a novel method to transform the upper part of the formed TiO(2) nanotubes into a nanowire-like structure by rotating the titanium anode during anodizing process. The transformation of nanotubes contributed to the preferential chemical dissolution of TiO(2) on the areas with intense interface tension stress. Furthermore, we further compared the effect of various TiO(2) surface nanostructures including flat, nanotubes, and nanowires on bioactive applications. The MG-63 osteoblastic cells cultured on the TiO(2) nanowires exhibited a polygonal shape with extending filopodia and showed highest levels of cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP). The TiO(2) nanowire structure formed by our novel method can provide beneficial effects for MG-63 osteoblastic cells in attachment, proliferation, and secretion of ALP on the TiO(2) surface layer. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"High Quantum Efficiency of Band-Edge Emission from ZnO Nanowires"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

GARGAS, DANIEL; GAO, HANWEI; WANG, HUNGTA; PEIDONG, YANG

2010-12-01

External quantum efficiency (EQE) of photoluminescence as high as 20 percent from isolated ZnO nanowires were measured at room temperature. The EQE was found to be highly dependent on photoexcitation density, which underscores the importance of uniform optical excitation during the EQE measurement. An integrating sphere coupled to a microscopic imaging system was used in this work, which enabled the EQE measurement on isolated ZnO nanowires. The EQE values obtained here are significantly higher than those reported for ZnO materials in forms of bulk, thin films or powders. Additional insight on the radiative extraction factor of one-dimensional nanostructures was gained by measuring the internal quantum efficiency of individual nanowires. Such quantitative EQE measurements provide a sensitive, noninvasive method to characterize the optical properties of low-dimensional nanostructures and allow tuning of synthesis parameters for optimization of nanoscale materials.

Observation of intact desorption ionization of peptide molecules from arrays of tungsten oxide nanowires by laser irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Sang Yun [Dept. of Nanochemistry, Gachon University, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Length-controlled WO{sub 3} surface nanowires with a 50 nm diameter were prepared by utilizing anodic Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} templates. Careful control of the fabrication process yielded a set of length-controlled nanowire arrays (Figure 1). The lengths of the nanowires covered a range of 60–250 nm. Typically, a 0.5-μL drop of a sample solution in 10% MeOH that contained 2 pmol of sample was pipetted directly onto the nanowire chips, which were dried under ambient conditions. We report the observation of intact LDI of thermally labile peptides from WO{sub 3} nanowire arrays, which have never been reported for any other metal oxide nanowire arrays. As metal oxides are thermally stable and useful in many applications, and fabrication of various nanostructures are well established, we suggest that the nanostructured surfaces of metal oxides are promising for LDI and thus worthy of further investigations.

Broadband THz pulse emission and transmission properties of nanostructured Pt thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Mingzhe [Department of Physics and Electronics, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, Guizhou 553004 (China); College of Electronics and Information, Guizhou University, Huaxi 550025, Guiyang, Guizhou (China); Mu, Kaijun; Zhang, Cunlin [Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Yuquan Road 100082, Beijing (China); Gu, Haoshuang, E-mail: guhs@hubu.edu.cn [Department of Electronic Sci& Tech, Hubei University, Xueyuan Road 430062, Wuhan, Hubei (China); Ding, Zhao [College of Electronics and Information, Guizhou University, Huaxi 550025, Guiyang, Guizhou (China)

2015-10-01

The THz transmission and emitting properties of a composite metallic nanostructure, composed of Ag nanowires electrodeposited in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and a Pt thin film, were investigated by using a femtosecond pulse laser irradiation. The microstructure of the above sub-wavelength nanostructure was investigated by XRD, SEM, AFM and TEM. The results indicated that the thickness of the Pt thin film was about 200 nm and the Ag nanowire array had a sparse and random distribution inside the AAO template, with a length distribution in the range of 10–25 μm. The THz radiation properties of above sub-wavelength nanostructure indicated that the generated THz fluence from the Pt film was a magnitude of μW scale with a broadband frequency range and its subsequent transmission could be significantly improved by the better impedance matching property of the Ag nanowire embedded AAO film compared with that of the empty AAO film.

Nanostructures from nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendes, Paula M; Chen Yu; Palmer, Richard E; Nikitin, Kirill; Fitzmaurice, Donald; Preece, Jon A

2003-01-01

This paper reviews recent experimental approaches to the development of surface nanostructures from nanoparticles. The formation of nanowires by electron beam writing in films of gold nanoparticles passivated with a specially designed class of ligand molecules (dialkyl sulfides) is presented, together with illustrations of practical nanostructures. Potential applications of this methodology are discussed. Another alternative to the controlled fabrication of arrays of nanoparticles, based on nanocrystals which contain molecular recognition elements in the ligand shell, is also surveyed. These particles aggregate in the presence of specifically designed molecular dications which act as a molecular binder. Finally, recent work on the formation of nanoscale surface architectures using x-ray patterning of self-assembled monolayers is introduced. Current and potential future applications of these surface nanostructures are discussed

Contacting nanowires and nanotubes with atomic precision for electronic transport

KAUST Repository

Qin, Shengyong; Hellstrom, Sondra; Bao, Zhenan; Boyanov, Boyan; Li, An-Ping

2012-01-01

Making contacts to nanostructures with atomic precision is an important process in the bottom-up fabrication and characterization of electronic nanodevices. Existing contacting techniques use top-down lithography and chemical etching, but lack atomic precision and introduce the possibility of contamination. Here, we report that a field-induced emission process can be used to make local contacts onto individual nanowires and nanotubes with atomic spatial precision. The gold nano-islands are deposited onto nanostructures precisely by using a scanning tunneling microscope tip, which provides a clean and controllable method to ensure both electrically conductive and mechanically reliable contacts. To demonstrate the wide applicability of the technique, nano-contacts are fabricated on silicide atomic wires, carbon nanotubes, and copper nanowires. The electrical transport measurements are performed in situ by utilizing the nanocontacts to bridge the nanostructures to the transport probes. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

A simple method of growing silver chloride nanocubes on silver nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaligh, Hadi Hosseinzadeh; Goldthorpe, Irene A

2015-01-01

The growth of AgCl nanocubes directly on the sidewalls of Ag nanowires is demonstrated. The nanocubes can be simply obtained through extended low temperature annealing of polyol-synthesized silver nanowires in a vacuum. The length of time and temperature of the anneal and the diameter of the nanowire affect the size and density of the nanocubes obtained. It is hypothesized that the AgCl material is supplied from reactants leftover from the silver nanowire synthesis. This novel hybrid nanostructure may have applications in areas such as photovoltaics, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and photocatalysis. (fast track communication)

Zinc oxide nanostructures: new properties for advances applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lupan, Oleg; Chow, Lee; Pauporte, Thierry

2011-01-01

Zinc oxide is a material which exhibits a variety of new properties at nanometer dimensions. Various synthesis techniques have been carried out to provide growth of nanowires, nanorods, nanorings, nanosprings, and nanobelts of ZnO under various conditions. These nanostructures show that ZnO possesses probably the richest family of nanoarchitectures among all materials, including their structures and properties. Such nanoarchitectures are potential building blocks for novel applications in optoelectronics, sensors, photovoltaic and nano-biomedical sciences. This work presents a review of various nano architectures of ZnO grown by the electrochemical, hydrothermal and solid-vapor phase techniques and their properties. The possible applications of ZnO nanowires as sensors, nano-DSSC, photodetectors and nano-LEDs will be presented.

Facile Hydrothermal Preparation of ZNO/CO3O4 Heterogeneous Nanostructures and its Photovoltaic Effect

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Fanan; Jiang, Minlin; Liu, Lianqing

2015-07-01

Photovoltaic technology offers great potential in the replacement of fossil fuel resources, but still suffers from high device fabrication cost. Herein, we attempted to provide a solution to these issues with heterogeneous nanostructures. Firstly, Zinc oxide (ZnO)/cobalt oxide (Co3O4) heterojunction nanowires are prepared through facile fabrication methods. By assembling Co(OH)2 nanoplates on ZnO nanowire arrays, the ZnO/Co3O4 heterogeneous nanostructures are uniformly synthesized on ITO coated glass and wafer. Current (I)-voltage (V) measurement through conductive atomic force microscope shows excellent photovoltaic effect. And, the heterojunction nanostructures shows unprecedented high open circuit voltage. Therefore, the potential application of the heterogeneous nanostructures in solar cells is demonstrated.

Simulation study of dielectrophoretic assembly of nanowire between electrode pairs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tao, Quan, E-mail: taq3@pitt.edu; Lan, Fei; Jiang, Minlin [University of Pittsburgh, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (United States); Wei, Fanan [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation (China); Li, Guangyong, E-mail: gul6@pitt.edu [University of Pittsburgh, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (United States)

2015-07-15

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) of rod-shaped nanostructures is attractive because of its exceptional capability to fabricate nanowire-based electronic devices. This efficient manipulation method, however, has a common side effect of assembling a certain number of nanowires at undesired positions. It is therefore essential to understand the underlying physics of DEP of nanowires in order to better guide the assembly. In this work, we propose theoretical methods to characterize the dielectrophoretic force and torque as well as the hydrodynamic drag force and torque on the nanowire (typical length: 10 μm). The trajectory of the nanowire is then simulated based on rigid body dynamics. The nanowire is predicted to either bridge the electrodes or attach on the surface of one electrode. A neighborhood in which the nanowire is more likely to bridge electrodes is found, which is conducive to successful assembly. The simulation study in this work provides us not only a better understanding of the underlying physics but also practical guidance on nanowire assembly by DEP.

Nanoconstruction by welding individual metallic nanowires together using nanoscale solder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Y; Inkson, B J; Cullis, A G

2010-01-01

This work presents a new bottom-up nanowelding technique enabling building blocks to be assembled and welded together into complex 3D nanostructures using nanovolumes of metal solder. The building blocks of gold nanowires, (Co 72 Pt 28 /Pt) n multilayer nanowires, and nanosolder Sn 99 Au 1 alloy nanowires were successfully fabricated by a template technique. Individual metallic nanowires were picked up and assembled together. Conductive nanocircuits were then welded together using similar or dissimilar nanosolder material. At the weld sites, nanoscale volumes of a chosen metal are deposited using nanosolder of a sacrificial nanowire, which ensures that the nanoobjects to be bonded retain their structural integrity. The whole nanowelding process is clean, controllable and reliable, and ensures both mechanically strong and electrically conductive contacts.

PLD synthesis of GaN nanowires and nanodots on patterned catalyst surface for field emission study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, D.K.T.; Hong, M.H. [National University of Singapore (Singapore). Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Data Storage Institute, Singapore (Singapore); Tan, L.S. [National University of Singapore (Singapore). Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Zhu, Y.W.; Sow, C.H. [National University of Singapore (Singapore). Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative; National University of Singapore (Singapore). Department of Physics

2008-11-15

Patterned gallium nitride nanowires and nanodots have been grown on n-Si(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The nanostructures are patterned using a physical mask, resulting in regions of nanowire growth of different densities. The field emission (FE) characteristics of the patterned gallium nitride nanowires show a turn-on field of 9.06 V/{mu}m to achieve a current density of 0.01 mA/cm{sup 2} and an enhanced field emission current density as high as 0.156 mA/cm{sup 2} at an applied field of 11 V/{mu}m. Comparing the peak FE current densities of both the nanowires and nanodots, the peak FE current density of nanowires is around 700 times higher than that of the peak FE current density of nanodots since nanodots have a lower aspect ratio compared to nanowires. The field emission results indicate that, besides density difference, crystalline quality as well as the low electron affinity of gallium nitride, high aspect ratio of gallium nitride nanostructures will greatly enhance their field emission properties. (orig.)

Synthesis and integration of one-dimensional nanostructures for chemical gas sensing applications

Science.gov (United States)

Parthangal, Prahalad Madhavan

The need for improved measurement technology for the detection and monitoring of gases has increased tremendously for maintenance of domestic and industrial health and safety, environmental surveys, national security, food-processing, medical diagnostics and various other industrial applications. Among the several varieties of gas sensors available in the market, solid-state sensors are the most popular owing to their excellent sensitivity, ruggedness, versatility and low cost. Semiconducting metal oxides such as tin oxide (SnO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), and tungsten oxide (WO3) are routinely employed as active materials in these sensors. Since their performance is directly linked to the exposed surface area of the sensing material, one-dimensional nanostructures possessing very high surface to volume ratios are attractive candidates for designing the next generation of sensors. Such nano-sensors also enable miniaturization thereby reducing power consumption. The key to achieve success in one-dimensional nanotechnologies lies in assembly. While synthesis techniques and capabilities continue to expand rapidly, progress in controlled assembly has been sluggish due to numerous technical challenges. In this doctoral thesis work, synthesis and characterization of various one-dimensional nanostructures including nanotubes of SnO2, and nanowires of WO3 and ZnO, as well as their direct integration into miniature sensor platforms called microhotplates have been demonstrated. The key highlights of this research include devising elegant strategies for growing metal oxide nanotubes using carbon nanotubes as templates, substantially reducing process temperatures to enable growth of WO3 nanowires on microhotplates, and successfully fabricating a ZnO nanowire array based sensor using a hybrid nanowire-nanoparticle assembly approach. In every process, the gas-sensing properties of one-dimensional nanostructures were observed to be far superior in comparison with thin films of the same

Failure mechanisms and electromechanical coupling in semiconducting nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng B.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available One dimensional nanostructures, like nanowires and nanotubes, are increasingly being researched for the development of next generation devices like logic gates, transistors, and solar cells. In particular, semiconducting nanowires with a nonsymmetric wurtzitic crystal structure, such as zinc oxide (ZnO and gallium nitride (GaN, have drawn immense research interests due to their electromechanical coupling. The designing of the future nanowire-based devices requires component-level characterization of individual nanowires. In this paper, we present a unique experimental set-up to characterize the mechanical and electromechanical behaviour of individual nanowires. Using this set-up and complementary atomistic simulations, mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires and electromechanical properties of GaN nanowires were investigated. In ZnO nanowires, elastic modulus was found to depend on nanowire diameter decreasing from 190 GPa to 140 GPa as the wire diameter increased from 5 nm to 80 nm. Inconsistent failure mechanisms were observed in ZnO nanowires. Experiments revealed a brittle fracture, whereas simulations using a pairwise potential predicted a phase transformation prior to failure. This inconsistency is addressed in detail from an experimental as well as computational perspective. Lastly, in addition to mechanical properties, preliminary results on the electromechanical properties of gallium nitride nanowires are also reported. Initial investigations reveal that the piezoresistive and piezoelectric behaviour of nanowires is different from bulk gallium nitride.

Contact materials for nanowire devices and nanoelectromechanical switches

KAUST Repository

Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2011-02-01

The impact of contact materials on the performance of nanostructured devices is expected to be signifi cant. This is especially true since size scaling can increase the contact resistance and induce many unseen phenomenon and reactions that greatly impact device performance. Nanowire and nanoelectromechanical switches are two emerging nanoelectronic devices. Nanowires provide a unique opportunity to control the property of a material at an ultra-scaled dimension, whereas a nanoelectromechanical switch presents zero power consumption in its off state, as it is physically detached from the sensor anode. In this article, we specifi cally discuss contact material issues related to nanowire devices and nanoelectromechanical switches.

Microcantilever equipped with nanowire template electrodes for multiprobe measurement on fragile nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lin, Rong; Bøggild, Peter; Hansen, Ole

2004-01-01

cantilevers. By subsequently covering these nanowires with a metallic coating, they are made conducting and at the same time fixed to the cantilevers. These silicon nanowire four-point probes were tested on 7 and 35 nm thick Au films as well as poorly adhering 16 nm thin Au nanowires deposited on a silicon...

FDTD modeling of solar energy absorption in silicon branched nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Christin; Lopez, Rene; Redwing, Joan; Melde, Kathleen

2013-05-06

Thin film nanostructured photovoltaic cells are increasing in efficiency and decreasing the cost of solar energy. FDTD modeling of branched nanowire 'forests' are shown to have improved optical absorption in the visible and near-IR spectra over nanowire arrays alone, with a factor of 5 enhancement available at 1000 nm. Alternate BNW tree configurations are presented, achieving a maximum absorption of over 95% at 500 nm.

A simple method to fabricate an NIR detector by PbTe nanowires in a large scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baghchesara, Mohammad Amin; Yousefi, Ramin; Cheraghizade, Mohsen; Jamali-Sheini, Farid; Saáedi, Abdolhossein; Mahmmoudian, M.R.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • PbTe nanowires were grown by tellurization of the Pb sheets for the first time. • It was observed a band gap value for the PbTe nanostructures in the NIR region. • NIR detector was fabricated in a large scale using a simple method. • Effect of Te concentration on morphology of PbTe nanostructures was investigated. - Abstract: A simple method was used to fabricate a near-infrared (NIR) detector using PbTe nanostructures. Samples were synthesized by tellurization of lead sheets in a tube furnace. PbTe nanostructures with wires and flakes shapes were grown on the lead sheets that were placed at 300 and 330 °C, respectively, while, PbTe nanoporous were grown at 360 and 390 °C. X-ray diffraction patterns and X-ray photoelectron spectra results indicated that, the PbTe phase was formed in all samples. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra measurements showed a band gap for the PbTe nanostructures in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Actually, the results indicated that, the band gap values of the PbTe nanowires and nanoporous were 1.54 eV and 1.61 eV, respectively. Finally, the PbTe nanostructures were used as a simple photoresponse device under a red light source. The photoresponse results revealed, PbTe nanowires are promising for photoelectrical applications in the NIR region.

Site-specific nucleation and controlled growth of a vertical tellurium nanowire array for high performance field emitters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Safdar, Muhammad; Zhan Xueying; Mirza, Misbah; Wang Zhenxing; Sun Lianfeng; He Jun; Niu Mutong; Zhang Jinping; Zhao Qing

2013-01-01

We report the controlled growth of highly ordered and well aligned one-dimensional tellurium nanostructure arrays via a one-step catalyst-free physical vapor deposition method. The density, size and fine structures of tellurium nanowires are systematically studied and optimized. Field emission measurement was performed to display notable dependence on nanostructure morphologies. The ordered nanowire array based field emitter has a turn-on field as low as 3.27 V μm −1 and a higher field enhancement factor of 3270. Our finding offers the possibility of controlling the growth of tellurium nanowire arrays and opens up new means for their potential applications in electronic devices and displays. (paper)

Direct observation of Au/Ga2O3 peapodded nanowires and their plasmonic behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Po-Han; Hsieh, Chin-Hua; Chen, Sheng-Yu; Wu, Chen-Hwa; Wu, Yi-Jen; Chou, Li-Jen; Chen, Lih-Juann

2010-09-08

Gold-peapodded Ga(2)O(3) nanowires were fabricated successfully in a well-controlled manner by thermal annealing of core-shell gold-Ga(2)O(3) nanowires. During the heating process, the core gold nanowires were broken up into chains of nanoparticles at sufficiently high temperature by the mechanism of Rayleigh instability. In addition, the size, shape, and interspacing between the particles can be manipulated by varying the annealing time and/or the forming gas. The plasmonic behaviors of these nanostructures are investigated by optical spectroscopy. A single nanowire optical device was designed, and its photonic characteristics were investigated. A remarkably high on/off photocurrent ratio in response to a 532 nm Nd:YAG laser light was found. As the size of the particle (pea) increases, the corresponding spectra are red-shifted. In addition, morphological changes of the peas lead to a distinct spectral response. The results may usher in the diverse applications in optoelectronics and biosensing devices with peapod nanostructures.

High photoresponse of individual WS2 nanowire-nanoflake hybrid materials

Science.gov (United States)

Asres, Georgies Alene; Järvinen, Topias; Lorite, Gabriela S.; Mohl, Melinda; Pitkänen, Olli; Dombovari, Aron; Tóth, Geza; Spetz, Anita Lloyd; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Lei, Sidong; Talapatra, Saikat; Kordas, Krisztian

2018-06-01

van der Waals solids have been recognized as highly photosensitive materials that compete conventional Si and compound semiconductor based devices. While 2-dimensional nanosheets of single and multiple layers and 1-dimensional nanowires of molybdenum and tungsten chalcogenides have been studied, their nanostructured derivatives with complex morphologies are not explored yet. Here, we report on the electrical and photosensitive properties of WS2 nanowire-nanoflake hybrid materials we developed lately. We probe individual hybrid nanostructured particles along the structure using focused ion beam deposited Pt contacts. Further, we use conductive atomic force microscopy to analyze electrical behavior across the nanostructure in the transverse direction. The electrical measurements are complemented by in situ laser beam illumination to explore the photoresponse of the nanohybrids in the visible optical spectrum. Photodetectors with responsivity up to ˜0.4 AW-1 are demonstrated outperforming graphene as well as most of the other transition metal dichalcogenide based devices.

Shape Engineering Driven by Selective Growth of SnO2 on Doped Ga2O3 Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Orts, Manuel; Sánchez, Ana M; Hindmarsh, Steven A; López, Iñaki; Nogales, Emilio; Piqueras, Javier; Méndez, Bianchi

2017-01-11

Tailoring the shape of complex nanostructures requires control of the growth process. In this work, we report on the selective growth of nanostructured tin oxide on gallium oxide nanowires leading to the formation of SnO 2 /Ga 2 O 3 complex nanostructures. Ga 2 O 3 nanowires decorated with either crossing SnO 2 nanowires or SnO 2 particles have been obtained in a single step treatment by thermal evaporation. The reason for this dual behavior is related to the growth direction of trunk Ga 2 O 3 nanowires. Ga 2 O 3 nanowires grown along the [001] direction favor the formation of crossing SnO 2 nanowires. Alternatively, SnO 2 forms rhombohedral particles on [110] Ga 2 O 3 nanowires leading to skewer-like structures. These complex oxide structures were grown by a catalyst-free vapor-solid process. When pure Ga and tin oxide were used as source materials and compacted powders of Ga 2 O 3 acted as substrates, [110] Ga 2 O 3 nanowires grow preferentially. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals epitaxial relationship lattice matching between the Ga 2 O 3 axis and SnO 2 particles, forming skewer-like structures. The addition of chromium oxide to the source materials modifies the growth direction of the trunk Ga 2 O 3 nanowires, growing along the [001], with crossing SnO 2 wires. The SnO 2 /Ga 2 O 3 junctions does not meet the lattice matching condition, forming a grain boundary. The electronic and optical properties have been studied by XPS and CL with high spatial resolution, enabling us to get both local chemical and electronic information on the surface in both type of structures. The results will allow tuning optical and electronic properties of oxide complex nanostructures locally as a function of the orientation. In particular, we report a dependence of the visible CL emission of SnO 2 on its particular shape. Orange emission dominates in SnO 2 /Ga 2 O 3 crossing wires while green-blue emission is observed in SnO 2 particles attached to Ga 2

Synthesis and nanoscale thermal encoding of phase-change nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Xuhui; Yu Bin; Meyyappan, M.

2007-01-01

Low-dimensional phase-change nanostructures provide a valuable research platform for understanding the phase-transition behavior and thermal properties at nanoscale and their potential in achieving superdense data storage. Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowires have been grown using a vapor-liquid-solid technique and shown to exhibit distinctive properties that may overcome the present data storage scaling barrier. Local heating of an individual nanowire with a focused electron beam was used to shape a nano-bar-code on a Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowire. The data encoding on Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 nanowire may promote novel device concepts to implement ultrahigh density, low energy, high speed data storage using phase-change nanomaterials with diverse thermal-programing strategies

ZnO Nanowires Synthesized by Vapor Phase Transport Deposition on Transparent Oxide Substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor Curtis

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Zinc oxide nanowires have been synthesized without using metal catalyst seed layers on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO substrates by a modified vapor phase transport deposition process using a double-tube reactor. The unique reactor configuration creates a Zn-rich vapor environment that facilitates formation and growth of zinc oxide nanoparticles and wires (20–80 nm in diameter, up to 6 μm in length, density <40 nm apart at substrate temperatures down to 300°C. Electron microscopy and other characterization techniques show nanowires with distinct morphologies when grown under different conditions. The effect of reaction parameters including reaction time, temperature, and carrier gas flow rate on the size, morphology, crystalline structure, and density of ZnO nanowires has been investigated. The nanowires grown by this method have a diameter, length, and density appropriate for use in fabricating hybrid polymer/metal oxide nanostructure solar cells. For example, it is preferable to have nanowires no more than 40 nm apart to minimize exciton recombination in polymer solar cells.

Room temperature synthesis and characterization of ultralong Cd(OH)2 nanowires: a simple and template-free chemical route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahraei, R.; Daneshfar, A.; Roushani, M.; Mihandoost, A.; Nabiyouni, G.; Majles Ara, M.H.

2012-01-01

Ultralong Cd(OH) 2 nanowires were fabricated in high yield by a convenient chemical method using alkali medium at room temperature without using any templates. The preparation conditions induce a unilateral growth of nanowires, despite the absence of any template. The length of the nanowires reached several hundreds of micrometers, giving an aspect ratio of a few thousands. The X-ray diffraction shows that the Cd(OH) 2 nanostructures crystallized in the wurtzite structure without any special orientation. The photoluminescence spectrum of Cd(OH) 2 nanostructures appears as two emission bands: one related to green emission at 475-510 nm, and the other related to deep level emission at 510-540 nm. Also the formation mechanisms of the nanowires are presented. The growth mechanism involves the irreversible and specifically oriented self-assembly of primary nanocrystals and results in the formation of the nanowires. (orig.)

Functionalization of lanthanum hydroxide nanowires by atom transfer radical polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Mi; Yuan Jinying; Yuan Weizhong; Yin Yingwu; Hong Xiaoyin

2007-01-01

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been used to prepare a core-shell hybrid nanostructure successfully: a hard core of single-crystalline lanthanum hydroxide nanowires and a soft shell of polystyrene (PS) brushes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated that the resulting products presented special structures and different thicknesses of polymer layers. The chemical components and grafted PS quantities of the samples were measured by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The polymers showed narrow polydispersity, which proved that the lanthanum hydroxide nanowires initiated the 'living'/controlled polymerization of styrene. With the modifiability of lanthanum hydroxide nanowires, the solubility increased, which affords a new way to functionalize nanowires

A new approach for two-terminal electronic memory devices - Storing information on silicon nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Saranti, Konstantina; Alotaibi, Sultan; Paul, Shashi

2016-06-01

The work described in this paper focuses on the utilisation of silicon nanowires as the information storage element in flash-type memory devices. Silicon nanostructures have attracted attention due to interesting electrical and optical properties, and their potential integration into electronic devices. A detailed investigation of the suitability of silicon nanowires as the charge storage medium in two-terminal non-volatile memory devices are presented in this report. The deposition of the silicon nanostructures was carried out at low temperatures (less than 400 °C) using a previously developed a novel method within our research group. Two-terminal non-volatile (2TNV) memory devices and metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures containing the silicon nanowires were fabricated and an in-depth study of their characteristics was carried out using current-voltage and capacitance techniques.

Anodized ZnO nanostructures for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Mao-Chia [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan (China); Wang, TsingHai [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environment Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Wu, Bin-Jui [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan (China); Lin, Jing-Chie, E-mail: jclin4046@gmail.com [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan (China); Wu, Ching-Chen [Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 310, Taiwan (China)

2016-01-01

Highlights: • ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by electrochemical anodic process. • The parameter of ZnO nanostructure was anodic potential. • The model of growth of ZnO nanostructure was investigated. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were fabricated on the polished zinc foil by anodic deposition in an alkaline solution containing 1.0 M NaOH and 0.25 M Zn(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}. Potentiostatic anodization was conducted at two potentials (−0.7 V in the passive region and −1.0 V in the active region vs. SCE) which are higher than the open circuit potential (−1.03 V vs. SCE) and as-obtained ZnO nanostrcutures were investigated focusing on their structural, optical, electrical and photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics. All samples were confirmed ZnO by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectra. Observations in the SEM images clearly showed that ZnO nanostructures prepared at −0.7 V vs. SCE were composed of nanowires at while those obtained at −1.0 V vs. SCE possessed nanosheets morphology. Result from transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction patterns suggested that the ZnO nanowires belonged to single crystalline with a preferred orientation of (0 0 2) whereas the ZnO nanosheets were polycrystalline. Following PEC experiments indicated that ZnO nanowires had higher photocurrent density of 0.32 mA/cm{sup 2} at 0.5 V vs. SCE under 100 mW/cm{sup 2} illumination. This value was about 1.9 times higher than that of ZnO nanosheets. Observed higher photocurrent was likely due to the single crystalline, preferred (0 0 2) orientation, higher carrier concentration and lower charge transfer resistance.

Fabrication of Nanostructures Using Self-Assembled Peptides as Templates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castillo, Jaime

2015-01-01

the advantages of diphenylalanine are explained step by step offering new alternatives to fabricate nanostructures in a simple and rapid way. The chapter is complemented with techniques to manipulate the self-assembled diphenylalanine nanostructures without changing its properties during the manipulation process.......This chapter evaluates the use of a short-aromatic dipeptide, diphenylalanine, as a template in the fabrication of new nanostructures (nanowires, coaxial nanocables, nanochannels) using materials such as silicon, conducting and non-conducting polymers. Diphenylalanine self...

Synthesis of SERS active Au nanowires in different noncoordinating solvents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou Xiaomiao; Zhang Xiaoling, E-mail: zhangxl@bit.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, School of Science (China); Fang Yan, E-mail: fangyan@mail.cnu.edu.cn [Beijing Key Laboratory for Nano-Photonics and Nano-Structure (NPNS), Capital Normal University (China); Chen Shutang; Li Na; Zhou Qi [Key Laboratory of Cluster Science of Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, School of Science (China)

2011-06-15

Au nanowires with length up to micrometers were synthesized through a simple and one-pot solution growth method. HAuCl{sub 4} was reduced in a micellar structure formed by 1-octadecylamine and oleic acid in hexane, heptane, toluene and chloroform, respectively. As the non-polarity of noncoordinating solvents can affect the nucleation and growth rates of Au nanostructures, Au nanowires with different diameters could be obtained by changing the noncoordinating solvents in the synthetic process. The influences of the solvents on the morphology of Au nanowires were systematically studied. When using hexane as reaction solvent, the product turned to be high portion of Au nanowires with more uniform size than the others. Furthermore, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum of 2-thionaphthol was obtained on the Au nanowire-modified substrate, indicating that the as-synthesized Au nanowires have potential for highly sensitive optical detection application.

Protein Biosensors Based on Polymer Nanowires, Carbon Nanotubes and Zinc Oxide Nanorods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taeksoo Ji

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The development of biosensors using electrochemical methods is a promising application in the field of biotechnology. High sensitivity sensors for the bio-detection of proteins have been developed using several kinds of nanomaterials. The performance of the sensors depends on the type of nanostructures with which the biomaterials interact. One dimensional (1-D structures such as nanowires, nanotubes and nanorods are proven to have high potential for bio-applications. In this paper we review these three different kinds of nanostructures that have attracted much attention at recent times with their great performance as biosensors. Materials such as polymers, carbon and zinc oxide have been widely used for the fabrication of nanostructures because of their enhanced performance in terms of sensitivity, biocompatibility, and ease of preparation. Thus we consider polymer nanowires, carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanorods for discussion in this paper. We consider three stages in the development of biosensors: (a fabrication of biomaterials into nanostructures, (b alignment of the nanostructures and (c immobilization of proteins. Two different methods by which the biosensors can be developed at each stage for all the three nanostructures are examined. Finally, we conclude by mentioning some of the major challenges faced by many researchers who seek to fabricate biosensors for real time applications.

Nano-soldering of magnetically aligned three-dimensional nanowire networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Fan; Gu Zhiyong

2010-01-01

It is extremely challenging to fabricate 3D integrated nanostructures and hybrid nanoelectronic devices. In this paper, we report a simple and efficient method to simultaneously assemble and solder nanowires into ordered 3D and electrically conductive nanowire networks. Nano-solders such as tin were fabricated onto both ends of multi-segmented nanowires by a template-assisted electrodeposition method. These nanowires were then self-assembled and soldered into large-scale 3D network structures by magnetic field assisted assembly in a liquid medium with a high boiling point. The formation of junctions/interconnects between the nanowires and the scale of the assembly were dependent on the solder reflow temperature and the strength of the magnetic field. The size of the assembled nanowire networks ranged from tens of microns to millimeters. The electrical characteristics of the 3D nanowire networks were measured by regular current-voltage (I-V) measurements using a probe station with micropositioners. Nano-solders, when combined with assembling techniques, can be used to efficiently connect and join nanowires with low contact resistance, which are very well suited for sensor integration as well as nanoelectronic device fabrication.

Ag nanoparticle–ZnO nanowire hybrid nanostructures as enhanced and robust antimicrobial textiles via a green chemical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zhou; Yuan, Weiwei; Song, Wei; Niu, Yongshan; Yan, Ling; Yu, Min; Dai, Ming; Feng, Siyu; Wang, Menghang; Fan, Yubo; Tang, Haoying; Liu, Tengjiao; Jiang, Peng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2014-01-01

A new approach for fabrication of a long-term and recoverable antimicrobial nanostructure/textile hybrid without increasing the antimicrobial resistance is demonstrated. Using in situ synthesized Ag nanoparticles (NPs) anchored on ZnO nanowires (NWs) grown on textiles by a ‘dip-in and light-irradiation’ green chemical method, we obtained ZnONW@AgNP nanocomposites with small-size and uniform Ag NPs, which have shown superior performance for antibacterial applications. These new Ag/ZnO/textile antimicrobial composites can be used for wound dressings and medical textiles for topical and prophylactic antibacterial treatments, point-of-use water treatment to improve the cleanliness of water and antimicrobial air filters to prevent bioaerosols accumulating in ventilation, heating, and air-conditioning systems. (paper)

Misfit-guided self-organization of anticorrelated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C Y; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-09-12

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one-dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anticorrelated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a postgrowth annealing process.

Controllable one-pot synthesis of various one-dimensional Bi2S3 nanostructures and their enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Enlai; Gao, Xuehui; Etogo, Atangana; Xie, Yunlong; Zhong, Yijun; Hu, Yong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • 1D Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures were prepared by a facile ethanol-assisted one-pot reaction. • The size and morphology of the products can be conveniently varied. • The sulfur source plays a crucial role in determining the morphologies of products. • 1D Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures exhibit enhanced photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). • Bi 2 S 3 nanowires exhibit the highest photoreduction activity among three samples. - Abstract: One-dimensional (1D) Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures with various morphologies, including nanowires, nanorods, and nanotubes, have been successfully synthesized through a facile ethanol-assisted one-pot reaction. It is found that the size, morphology and structure of the products can be conveniently varied or controlled by simply adjusting the volume ratio of ethanol and water in the reaction system. Further experimental results indicate that sulfur source also plays the other crucial role in determining the product morphology. The synthetic strategy developed in this work is highly efficient in producing 1D Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures with high quality and large quantity. Photocatalysis experiments show the as-prepared 1D Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures possess significantly enhanced photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) when exposed to visible light irradiation. Especially, Bi 2 S 3 nanowires exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity and can be used repeatedly after washed with dilute HCl

Single Nanostructure Electrochemical Devices for Studying Electronic Properties and Structural Changes in Lithiated Si Nanowires

KAUST Repository

McDowell, Matthew T.

2011-07-19

Nanostructured Si is a promising anode material for the next generation of Li-ion batteries, but few studies have focused on the electrical properties of the Li-Si alloy phase, which are important for determining power capabilities and ensuring sufficient electrical conduction in the electrode structure. Here, we demonstrate an electrochemical device framework suitable for testing the electrical properties of single Si nanowires (NWs) at different lithiation states and correlating these properties with structural changes via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We fi nd that single Si NWs usually exhibit Ohmic I - V response in the lithiated state, with conductivities two to three orders of magnitude higher than in the delithiated state. After a number of sequential lithiation/delithiation cycles, the single NWs show similar conductivity after each lithiation step but show large variations in conductivity in the delithiated state. Finally, devices with groups of NWs in physical contact were fabricated, and structural changes in the NWs were observed after lithiation to investigate how the electrical resistance of NW junctions and the NWs themselves affect the lithiation behavior. The results suggest that electrical resistance of NW junctions can limit lithiation. Overall, this study shows the importance of investigating the electronic properties of individual components of a battery electrode (single nanostructures in this case) along with studying the nature of interactions within a collection of these component structures. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Single Nanostructure Electrochemical Devices for Studying Electronic Properties and Structural Changes in Lithiated Si Nanowires

KAUST Repository

McDowell, Matthew T.; Cui, Yi

2011-01-01

Nanostructured Si is a promising anode material for the next generation of Li-ion batteries, but few studies have focused on the electrical properties of the Li-Si alloy phase, which are important for determining power capabilities and ensuring sufficient electrical conduction in the electrode structure. Here, we demonstrate an electrochemical device framework suitable for testing the electrical properties of single Si nanowires (NWs) at different lithiation states and correlating these properties with structural changes via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We fi nd that single Si NWs usually exhibit Ohmic I - V response in the lithiated state, with conductivities two to three orders of magnitude higher than in the delithiated state. After a number of sequential lithiation/delithiation cycles, the single NWs show similar conductivity after each lithiation step but show large variations in conductivity in the delithiated state. Finally, devices with groups of NWs in physical contact were fabricated, and structural changes in the NWs were observed after lithiation to investigate how the electrical resistance of NW junctions and the NWs themselves affect the lithiation behavior. The results suggest that electrical resistance of NW junctions can limit lithiation. Overall, this study shows the importance of investigating the electronic properties of individual components of a battery electrode (single nanostructures in this case) along with studying the nature of interactions within a collection of these component structures. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hierarchical 3C-SiC nanowires as stable photocatalyst for organic dye degradation under visible light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Judong; Chen, Jianjun; Xin, Lipeng; Wang, Mingming

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: The photocatalytic performance was enhanced by hierarchical nanostructural SiC nanowires due to the increased specific surface areas and efficient incident light scattering. The positive effect of SiO 2 layer growth on the surface of nanowires during the catalytic process on the high decolorization efficiency of SiC nanowires was attributed to SiO 2 surface oxygen vacancies. -- Highlights: • High decolorization rate of methylene blue using hierarchical 3C-SiC nanowires was obtained. • The effect of methylene blue with different concentration to catalytic result was investigated. • The photocatalytic reaction mechanism of degrading methylene blue was explained. • The SiO 2 layer generating on nanowire surface in the catalytic process was analyzed. -- Abstract: 3C-SiC nanowires with hierarchical structure were synthesized by sol–gel carbothermal reduction method. The photocatalytic property of SiC nanowires was investigated. 3C-SiC hierarchical nanowires exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic activity by accelerating the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue solution under visible light irradiation. Methylene blue was degraded efficiently after 5 h irradiation over the photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity was affected by the initial concentration of the methylene blue solution. Silicon dioxide layer was observed on the surface of nanowires after the catalytic process. The positive effect of SiO 2 surface oxygen vacancies and 3C-SiC hierarchical nanostructures on the high decolorization efficiency of SiC nanowires was discussed. The detailed photocatalytic redox processes were also explained

Electrodeposition of rhenium-tin nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naor-Pomerantz, Adi; Eliaz, Noam; Gileadi, Eliezer

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Rhenium-tin nanowires were formed electrochemically, without using a template. → The nanowires consisted of a crystalline-Sn-core/amorphous-Re-shell structure. → The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated. → A mechanism is suggested for the formation of the core/shell structure. → The nanowires may be attractive for a variety of applications. - Abstract: Rhenium (Re) is a refractory metal which exhibits an extraordinary combination of properties. Thus, nanowires and other nanostructures of Re-alloys may possess unique properties resulting from both Re chemistry and the nanometer scale, and become attractive for a variety of applications, such as in catalysis, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. Rhenium-tin coatings, consisting of nanowires with a core/shell structure, were electrodeposited on copper substrates under galvanostatic or potentiostatic conditions. The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated, and the chemistry and structure of the coatings were studied by a variety of analytical tools. A Re-content as high as 77 at.% or a Faradaic efficiency as high as 46% were attained. Ranges of Sn-to-Re in the plating bath, applied current density and applied potential, within which the nanowires could be formed, were determined. A mechanism was suggested, according to which Sn nanowires were first grown on top of Sn micro-particles, and then the Sn nanowires reduced the perrhenate chemically, thus forming a core made of crystalline Sn-rich phase, and a shell made of amorphous Re-rich phase. The absence of mutual solubility of Re and Sn may be the driving force for this phase separation.

Hierarchical oxide-based composite nanostructures for energy, environmental, and sensing applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Pu-Xian; Shimpi, Paresh; Cai, Wenjie; Gao, Haiyong; Jian, Dunliang; Wrobel, Gregory

2011-02-01

Self-assembled composite nanostructures integrate various basic nano-elements such as nanoparticles, nanofilms and nanowires toward realizing multifunctional characteristics, which promises an important route with potentially high reward for the fast evolving nanoscience and nanotechnology. A broad array of hierarchical metal oxide based nanostructures have been designed and fabricated in our research group, involving semiconductor metal oxides, ternary functional oxides such as perovskites and spinels and quaternary dielectric hydroxyl metal oxides with diverse applications in efficient energy harvesting/saving/utilization, environmental protection/control, chemical sensing and thus impacting major grand challenges in the area of materials and nanotechnology. Two of our latest research activities have been highlighted specifically in semiconductor oxide alloy nanowires and metal oxide/perovskite composite nanowires, which could impact the application sectors in ultraviolet/blue lighting, visible solar absorption, vehicle and industry emission control, chemical sensing and control for vehicle combustors and power plants.

Nanostructures by ion beams

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, B.

Ion beam techniques, including conventional broad beam ion implantation, ion beam synthesis and ion irradiation of thin layers, as well as local ion implantation with fine-focused ion beams have been applied in different fields of micro- and nanotechnology. The ion beam synthesis of nanoparticles in high-dose ion-implanted solids is explained as phase separation of nanostructures from a super-saturated solid state through precipitation and Ostwald ripening during subsequent thermal treatment of the ion-implanted samples. A special topic will be addressed to self-organization processes of nanoparticles during ion irradiation of flat and curved solid-state interfaces. As an example of silicon nanocrystal application, the fabrication of silicon nanocrystal non-volatile memories will be described. Finally, the fabrication possibilities of nanostructures, such as nanowires and chains of nanoparticles (e.g. CoSi2), by ion beam synthesis using a focused Co+ ion beam will be demonstrated and possible applications will be mentioned.

Facile Conversion Synthesis of Densely-Formed Branched ZnO-Nanowire Arrays for Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Woojin; Kang, Suji; Hwang, Taehyun; Kim, Kunsu; Woo, Hyungsub; Lee, Byungho; Kim, Jaewon; Kim, Jinhyun; Park, Byungwoo

2015-01-01

Highlights: •3-D hierarchically branched ZnO nanowires by a facile synthesis with seed nucleation. •Nanobranching enhances the efficiency by a factor of two compared with the bare QDSC. •Attributed to the increased sensitizer by ∼80% and decreased transmittance by ∼17%. •Optimized nanostructures correlate with the light-harvesting and carrier-collection efficiencies. -- Abstract: An effective way of synthesizing densely-formed branched ZnO-nanowire arrays was developed by a straightforward conversion reaction of ZnS into ZnO. Hierarchically structured ZnO nanowires are utilized for quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), having resulted in the conversion-efficiency enhancement by a factor of two compared to the bare ZnO nanowires. This is attributed to the increased CdS-quantum-dot sensitizer by ∼80% and decreased diffused transmittance by ∼17%, induced by the densely-formed branched nanowires. The correlations between the branched nanostructures and photovoltaic performances are systematically investigated in terms of light absorption, charge-transfer resistance, and carrier lifetime. This facile and controllable branched nanowire synthesis is anticipated to be applicable to other semiconductor photoanodes for efficient light harvesting and charge collecting properties

Fabrication and optical properties of multishell InAs quantum dots on GaAs nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia, E-mail: xzhang@bupt.edu.cn; Li, Junshuai; Cui, Jiangong; Ren, Xiaomin [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China)

2015-02-07

Hybrid nanostructures combining nanowires with quantum dots promote the development of nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices with integrated functionalities. In this work, we present a complex nanostructure with multishell quantum dots grown on nanowires. 1–4 shells of Stranski-Krastanov InAs quantum dots are grown on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Different dot shells are separated by 8 nm GaAs spacer shells. With increasing the number of shells, the quantum dots become sparser and tend to align in one array, which is caused by the shrinkage of facets on which dots prefer to grow as well as the strain fields produced by the lower set of dots which influences the migration of In adatoms. The size of quantum dots increases with the increase of shell number due to enhanced strain fields coupling. The spectra of multishell dots exhibit multiwavelength emission, and each peak corresponds to a dot shell. This hybrid structure may serve as a promising element in nanowire intermediate band solar cells, infrared nanolasers, and photodetectors.

The mechanism of transforming diamond nanowires to carbon nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorkin, Anastassia; Su, Haibin

2014-01-01

The transformation of diamond nanowires (DNWs) with different diameters and geometries upon heating is investigated with density-functional-based tight-binding molecular dynamics. DNWs of 〈100〉 and 〈111〉 oriented cross-section with projected average line density between 7 and 20 atoms Å −1 transform into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under gradual heating up to 3500–4000 K. DNWs with projected average line density larger than 25 atoms Å −1 transform into double-wall CNTs. The route of transformation into CNTs clearly exhibits three stages, with the intriguing intermediate structural motif of a carbon nanoscroll (CNS). Moreover, the morphology plays an important role in the transformation involving the CNS as one important intermediate motif to form CNTs. When starting with 〈 2-bar 11〉 oriented DNWs with a square cross-section consisting of two {111} facets facing each other, one interesting structure with ‘nano-bookshelf’ shape emerges: a number of graphene ‘shelves’ located inside the CNT, bonding to the CNT walls with sp 3 hybridized atoms. The nano-bookshelf structures exist in a wide range of temperatures up to 3000 K. The further transformation from nano-bookshelf structures depends on the strength of the joints connecting shelves with CNT walls. Notably, the nano-bookshelf structure can evolve into two end products: one is CNT via the CNS pathway, the other is graphene transformed directly from the nano-bookshelf structure at high temperature. This work sheds light on the microscopic insight of carbon nanostructure formation mechanisms with the featured motifs highlighted in the pathways. (paper)

Intermediate Bandgap Solar Cells From Nanostructured Silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Black, Marcie [Bandgap Engineering, Lincoln, MA (United States)

2014-10-30

This project aimed to demonstrate increased electronic coupling in silicon nanostructures relative to bulk silicon for the purpose of making high efficiency intermediate bandgap solar cells using silicon. To this end, we formed nanowires with controlled crystallographic orientation, small diameter, <111> sidewall faceting, and passivated surfaces to modify the electronic band structure in silicon by breaking down the symmetry of the crystal lattice. We grew and tested these silicon nanowires with <110>-growth axes, which is an orientation that should produce the coupling enhancement.

Misfit-guided self-organization of anti-correlated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C.Y.; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-01-01

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anti-correlated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a post-growth annealing process. PMID:22889063

Chirality-Discriminated Conductivity of Metal-Amino Acid Biocoordination Polymer Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jianzhong; Wu, Yijin; Deng, Ke; He, Meng; He, Liangcan; Cao, Jing; Zhang, Xugang; Liu, Yaling; Li, Shunxing; Tang, Zhiyong

2016-09-27

Biocoordination polymer (BCP) nanowires are successfully constructed through self-assembly of chiral cysteine amino acids and Cd cations in solution. The varied chirality of cysteine is explored to demonstrate the difference of BCP nanowires in both morphology and structure. More interestingly and surprisingly, the electrical property measurement reveals that, although all Cd(II)/cysteine BCP nanowires behave as semiconductors, the conductivity of the Cd(II)/dl-cysteine nanowires is 4 times higher than that of the Cd(II)/l-cysteine or Cd(II)/d-cysteine ones. The origin of such chirality-discriminated characteristics registered in BCP nanowires is further elucidated by theoretical calculation. These findings demonstrate that the morphology, structure, and property of BCP nanostructures could be tuned by the chirality of the bridging ligands, which will shed light on the comprehension of chirality transcription as well as construction of chirality-regulated functional materials.

A four-probe thermal transport measurement method for nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jaehyun; Ou, Eric; Sellan, Daniel P.; Shi, Li, E-mail: lishi@mail.utexas.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2015-04-15

Several experimental techniques reported in recent years have enabled the measurement of thermal transport properties of nanostructures. However, eliminating the contact thermal resistance error from the measurement results has remained a critical challenge. Here, we report a different four-probe measurement method that can separately obtain both the intrinsic thermal conductance and the contact thermal resistance of individual nanostructures. The measurement device consists of four microfabricated, suspended metal lines that act as resistive heaters and thermometers, across which the nanostructure sample is assembled. The method takes advantage of the variation in the heat flow along the suspended nanostructure and across its contacts to the four suspended heater and thermometer lines, and uses sixteen sets of temperature and heat flow measurements to obtain nine of the thermal resistances in the measurement device and the nanostructure sample, including the intrinsic thermal resistance and the two contact thermal resistances to the middle suspended segment of the nanostructure. Two single crystalline Si nanowires with different cross sections are measured in this work to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. This four-probe thermal transport measurement method can lead to future discoveries of unique size-dependent thermal transport phenomena in nanostructures and low-dimensional materials, in addition to providing reliable experimental data for calibrating theoretical models.

A four-probe thermal transport measurement method for nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jaehyun; Ou, Eric; Sellan, Daniel P.; Shi, Li

2015-01-01

Several experimental techniques reported in recent years have enabled the measurement of thermal transport properties of nanostructures. However, eliminating the contact thermal resistance error from the measurement results has remained a critical challenge. Here, we report a different four-probe measurement method that can separately obtain both the intrinsic thermal conductance and the contact thermal resistance of individual nanostructures. The measurement device consists of four microfabricated, suspended metal lines that act as resistive heaters and thermometers, across which the nanostructure sample is assembled. The method takes advantage of the variation in the heat flow along the suspended nanostructure and across its contacts to the four suspended heater and thermometer lines, and uses sixteen sets of temperature and heat flow measurements to obtain nine of the thermal resistances in the measurement device and the nanostructure sample, including the intrinsic thermal resistance and the two contact thermal resistances to the middle suspended segment of the nanostructure. Two single crystalline Si nanowires with different cross sections are measured in this work to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. This four-probe thermal transport measurement method can lead to future discoveries of unique size-dependent thermal transport phenomena in nanostructures and low-dimensional materials, in addition to providing reliable experimental data for calibrating theoretical models

Graphene templated Directional Growth of an Inorganic Nanowire

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-23

14,23–25 have only formed randomly oriented or poorly aligned inorganic nanostructures. Here, we show that inorganic nanowires of gold(I) cyanide can... complex . TEM image simulation from the crystal structure The TEM image simulations are performed using MacTempas and CrystalKit. The imaging

Formation Mechanism of Self Assembled Horizontal ErSb Nanowires Embedded in a GaSb(001) Matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Nathaniel; Kraemer, Stephan; PalmstrøM, Chris

The ErxGa1-xSb exhibits a variety of self-assembling nanostructures. In order to harness these nanostructures for use in devices and other material systems it is important to understand their formation. We have characterized the growth mechanism of self-assembled horizontal ErSb nanowires in a GaSb(001) matrix through the use of in-situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) as well as ex-situ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). We observe large GaSb macrosteps on the growth surface of Er.3Ga.7Sb samples. The areas near the ledge and base of the macrosteps show significant differences in size and distribution of ErSb nanowires. Results suggest that the formation of macrosteps drives the transition from vertical to horizontal nanowires in the ErxGa1-xSb system. We also observe a low temperature growth mode, which results in horizontal nanowire formation under a wide range of flux conditions. This new growth mode does not exhibit the embedded growth observed in the formation of nanowires at higher temperatures and may allow for horizontal nanowire formation without the presence of macrosteps, as well as the formation of smaller nanoparticles which may be useful for achieving smaller nanoparticle dimensions and electron confinement effects. This work was supported by NSF-DMR under 1507875.

Computational modeling of geometry dependent phonon transport in silicon nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Cheney, Drew A.

Recent experiments have demonstrated that thermal properties of semiconductor nanostructures depend on nanostructure boundary geometry. Phonons are quantized mechanical vibrations that are the dominant carrier of heat in semiconductor materials and their aggregate behavior determine a nanostructure's thermal performance. Phonon-geometry scattering processes as well as waveguiding effects which result from coherent phonon interference are responsible for the shape dependence of thermal transport in these systems. Nanoscale phonon-geometry interactions provide a mechanism by which nanostructure geometry may be used to create materials with targeted thermal properties. However, the ability to manipulate material thermal properties via controlling nanostructure geometry is contingent upon first obtaining increased theoretical understanding of fundamental geometry induced phonon scattering processes and having robust analytical and computational models capable of exploring the nanostructure design space, simulating the phonon scattering events, and linking the behavior of individual phonon modes to overall thermal behavior. The overall goal of this research is to predict and analyze the effect of nanostructure geometry on thermal transport. To this end, a harmonic lattice-dynamics based atomistic computational modeling tool was created to calculate phonon spectra and modal phonon transmission coefficients in geometrically irregular nanostructures. The computational tool is used to evaluate the accuracy and regimes of applicability of alternative computational techniques based upon continuum elastic wave theory. The model is also used to investigate phonon transmission and thermal conductance in diameter modulated silicon nanowires. Motivated by the complexity of the transmission results, a simplified model based upon long wavelength beam theory was derived and helps explain geometry induced phonon scattering of low frequency nanowire phonon modes.

Facile synthesis of polypyrrole nanowires for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junhong Zhao

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Polypyrrole nanowires are facile synthesized under a mild condition with FeCl3 as an oxidant. Polypyrrole nanowires with the width of 120 nm form many nanogaps or pores due to the intertwined nanostructures. More importantly, PPy nanowires were further applied for supercapacitor electrode materials. After electrochemical testing, it was observed that the PPy nanowire based electrode showed a large specific capacitance (420 F g−1, 1.5 A g−1 and good rate capability (272 F g−1, 18.0 A g−1, which is larger than that of most of published results. The as-prepared electrode can work well even after 8000 cycles at 1.5 A g−1.

Novel Size and Surface Oxide Effects in Silicon Nanowires as Lithium Battery Anodes

KAUST Repository

McDowell, Matthew T.

2011-09-14

With its high specific capacity, silicon is a promising anode material for high-energy lithium-ion batteries, but volume expansion and fracture during lithium reaction have prevented implementation. Si nanostructures have shown resistance to fracture during cycling, but the critical effects of nanostructure size and native surface oxide on volume expansion and cycling performance are not understood. Here, we use an ex situ transmission electron microscopy technique to observe the same Si nanowires before and after lithiation and have discovered the impacts of size and surface oxide on volume expansion. For nanowires with native SiO2, the surface oxide can suppress the volume expansion during lithiation for nanowires with diameters <∼50 nm. Finite element modeling shows that the oxide layer can induce compressive hydrostatic stress that could act to limit the extent of lithiation. The understanding developed herein of how volume expansion and extent of lithiation can depend on nanomaterial structure is important for the improvement of Si-based anodes. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Structural origination of charge transfer complex nanostructures: Excellent candidate for field emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, Shreyasi; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan Kumar

2016-01-01

Worldwide strategies for amalgamating rationally controlled one-dimensional organic nanowires are of fundamental importance for their applications in flexible, cheaper and lighter electronics. In this work we have fabricated large-area, ordered CuTCNQ (copper-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) nano architecture arrays over flexible conducting substrate and discussed the rational growth and integration of nanostructures. Here we adopted the organic solid phase reaction (VLS) technique for the growth of organic hierarchies and investigated how field emission properties changes by tuning the nanostructures morphology i.e., by varying length, diameter, alignment and orientation over flexible substrate. The CuTCNQ nanowires with optimized geometry exhibit excellent high field emission performance with low turn-on and threshold field values. The result strongly indicate that CuTCNQ nanowires on flexible carbon cloth substrate are promising candidates for constructing cold cathode based emission display devices, vacuum nanoelectronics, and etc.

Structural origination of charge transfer complex nanostructures: Excellent candidate for field emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pal, Shreyasi; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan Kumar [Thin Films and Nanoscience Laboratory, Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032 (India)

2016-05-23

Worldwide strategies for amalgamating rationally controlled one-dimensional organic nanowires are of fundamental importance for their applications in flexible, cheaper and lighter electronics. In this work we have fabricated large-area, ordered CuTCNQ (copper-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) nano architecture arrays over flexible conducting substrate and discussed the rational growth and integration of nanostructures. Here we adopted the organic solid phase reaction (VLS) technique for the growth of organic hierarchies and investigated how field emission properties changes by tuning the nanostructures morphology i.e., by varying length, diameter, alignment and orientation over flexible substrate. The CuTCNQ nanowires with optimized geometry exhibit excellent high field emission performance with low turn-on and threshold field values. The result strongly indicate that CuTCNQ nanowires on flexible carbon cloth substrate are promising candidates for constructing cold cathode based emission display devices, vacuum nanoelectronics, and etc.

Low temperature synthesis of seed mediated CuO bundle of nanowires, their structural characterisation and cholesterol detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibupoto, Z H; Khun, K; Liu, X; Willander, M

2013-10-01

In this study, we have successfully synthesised CuO bundle of nanowires using simple, cheap and low temperature hydrothermal growth method. The growth parameters such as precursor concentration and time for duration of growth were optimised. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) has demonstrated that the CuO bundles of nanowires are highly dense, uniform and perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has demonstrated that the CuO nanostructures consist of bundle of nanowires and their growth pattern is along the [010] direction. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique described that CuO bundle of nanowires possess the monoclinic crystal phase. The surface and chemical composition analyses were carried out with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique and the obtained results suggested the pure crystal state of CuO nanostructures. In addition, the CuO nanowires were used for the cholesterol sensing application by immobilising the cholesterol oxidase through electrostatic attraction. The infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy study has also revealed that CuO nanostructures are consisting of only CuO bonding and has also shown the possible interaction of cholesterol oxidase with the sharp edge surface of CuO bundle of nanowires. The proposed cholesterol sensor has demonstrated the wide range of detection of cholesterol with good sensitivity of 33.88±0.96 mV/decade. Moreover, the CuO bundle of nanowires based sensor electrode has revealed good repeatability, reproducibility, stability, selectivity and a fast response time of less than 10s. The cholesterol sensor based on the immobilised cholesterol oxidase has good potential applicability for the determination of cholesterol from the human serum and other biological samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanostructured Semiconductor Electrodes for Solar Energy Conversion and Innovations in Undergraduate Chemical Lab Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sudarat

This dissertation presents the methodology and discussion of preparing nanostructured, high aspect ratio p-type phosphide-based binary and ternary semiconductors via "top-down" anodic etching, a process which creates nanostructures from a large parent entity, and "bottom-up" vapor-liquid-solid growth, a mechanism which builds up small clusters of molecules block-by-block. Such architecture is particularly useful for semiconducting materials with incompatible optical absorption depth and charge carrier diffusion length, as it not only relaxes the requirement for high-grade crystalline materials, but also increases the carrier collection efficiencies for photons with energy greater than or equal to the band gap. The main focus of this dissertation is to obtain nanostructured p-type phosphide semiconductors for photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell applications. Chapter II in the thesis describes a methodology for creating high-aspect ratio p-GaP that function as a photocathode under white light illumination. Gallium phosphide (GaP, band gap: 2.26 eV) is a suitable candidate for solar conversion and energy storage due to its ability to generate large photocurrent and photovoltage to drive fuel-forming reactions. Furthermore, the band edge positions of GaP can provide sufficient kinetics for the reduction of protons and carbon dioxide. The structure is prepared by anodic etching, and the resulting macroporous structures are subsequently doped with Zn by thermally driving in Zn from conformal ZnO films prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The key finding of this work is a viable doping strategy involving ALD ZnO films for making functioning p-type GaP nanostructures. Chapter III compares the GaP nanowires grown from gold (Au) and tin (Sn) VLS catalysts in a benign solid sublimation growth scheme in terms of crystal structure and photoactivity. Sn is less noble than Au, allowing complete removal of Sn metal catalysts from the nanowires through wet chemical etching which

Rational design of octahedron and nanowire CeO2@MnO2 core-shell heterostructures with outstanding rate capability for asymmetric supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shi Jin; Jia, Jia Qi; Wang, Tian; Zhao, Dong; Yang, Jian; Dong, Fan; Shang, Zheng Guo; Zhang, Yu Xin

2015-10-14

Two kinds of novel CeO2@MnO2 nanostructures have been synthesized via a self-assembly strategy. The as-prepared CeO2 nanowire@MnO2 nanostructures exhibited unprecedented pseudocapacitance performance (255 F g(-1)) with outstanding rate capability. A new mechanism based on the synergistic effect between CeO2 and MnO2 was proposed to interpret this phenomenon. When assembled as an asymmetric supercapacitor, an energy density of 27.5 W h kg(-1) with a maximum power density of 1.6 kW kg(-1) was achieved for CeO2 nanowire@MnO2 nanostructures.

Alignment control and atomically-scaled heteroepitaxial interface study of GaN nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qingyun; Liu, Baodan; Yang, Wenjin; Yang, Bing; Zhang, Xinglai; Labbé, Christophe; Portier, Xavier; An, Vladimir; Jiang, Xin

2017-04-20

Well-aligned GaN nanowires are promising candidates for building high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices. In this work, we demonstrate the epitaxial growth of well-aligned GaN nanowires on a [0001]-oriented sapphire substrate in a simple catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition process and their alignment control. It is found that the ammonia flux plays a key role in dominating the initial nucleation of GaN nanocrystals and their orientation. Typically, significant improvement of the GaN nanowire alignment can be realized at a low NH 3 flow rate. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy studies further verified the preferential orientation of GaN nanowires along the [0001] direction. The growth mechanism of GaN nanowire arrays is also well studied based on cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) characterization and it is observed that GaN nanowires have good epitaxial growth on the sapphire substrate following the crystallographic relationship between (0001) GaN ∥(0001) sapphire and (101[combining macron]0) GaN ∥(112[combining macron]0) sapphire . Most importantly, periodic misfit dislocations are also experimentally observed in the interface region due to the large lattice mismatch between the GaN nanowire and the sapphire substrate, and the formation of such dislocations will favor the release of structural strain in GaN nanowires. HRTEM analysis also finds the existence of "type I" stacking faults and voids inside the GaN nanowires. Optical investigation suggests that the GaN nanowire arrays have strong emission in the UV range, suggesting their crystalline nature and chemical purity. The achievement of aligned GaN nanowires will further promote the wide applications of GaN nanostructures toward diverse high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices including nano-LEDs, photovoltaic cells, photodetectors etc.

Noncollinear magnetism in manganese nanostructures

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zelený, Martin; Šob, Mojmír; Hafner, J.

2009-01-01

Roč. 80, č. 14 (2009), 144414/1-144414/19 ISSN 1098-0121 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100920; GA MŠk OC09011 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : magnetism of nanostructures * nanowires * noncollinear magnetism * manganese Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.475, year: 2009

Transport and structural characterization of solution-processable doped ZnO nanowires

KAUST Repository

Noriega, Rodrigo; Goris, Ludwig; Rivnay, Jonathan; Scholl, Jonathan; Thompson, Linda M.; Palke, Aaron C.; Stebbins, Jonathan F.; Salleo, Alberto

2009-01-01

The use of ZnO nanowires has become a widespread topic of interest in optoelectronics. In order to correctly assess the quality, functionality, and possible applications of such nanostructures it is important to accurately understand

Nanostructures: A Platform for Brain Repair and Augmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruxandra eVidu

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Nanoscale structures have been at the core of research efforts dealing with integration of nanotechnology into novel electronic devices for the last decade. For instance, the unique electrical and optical properties of nanowires, nanotubes and nanocables with vertical orientation, assembled in nanoscale arrays, have been used in many device applications such as sensors that hold the potential to augment brain functions. However, the challenge in creating nanowires/nanotubes or nanocables arrays based sensors lies in making individual electrical connections fitting both the features of the brain and of the nanostructures. This review discusses two of the most important applications of nanostructures in neuroscience. First, the current approaches to create nanowires and nanocable structures are reviewed to critically evaluate their potential of developing unique nanostructure based sensors to improve recording and device performance to reduce noise and the detrimental effect of the interface on the tissue. Second, the implementation of nanomaterials in neurobiological and medical applications will be considered from the brain augmentation perspective. Because the size of nanomaterials is of the same order of magnitude with that of biomolecules, these materials are valuable tools for nanoscale manipulation in a broad range of neurobiological systems. Novel applications for diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis, meningitis, stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, and autism will be considered. Because the blood brain barrier (BBB has a defensive mechanism in preventing nanomaterials arrival to the brain, various strategies to help them to passing through the BBB will be discussed. The nanostructures at the interface between nanotechnology and neuroscience will play a pivotal role not only in addressing the multitude of brain disorders but also to repair/augment brain functions.

Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescence of tin oxide nanoribbons and nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duraia, El-Shazly M.A., E-mail: duraia_physics@yahoo.co [Suez Canal University, Faculty of Science, Physics Department, Ismailia (Egypt); Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty (Kazakhstan); Institute of Physics and Technology, 11 Ibragimov Street, 050032 Almaty (Kazakhstan); Mansorov, Z.A. [Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty (Kazakhstan); Tokmolden, S. [Institute of Physics and Technology, 11 Ibragimov Street, 050032 Almaty (Kazakhstan)

2009-11-15

In this work we report the successful formation of tin oxide nanowires and tin oxide nanoribbons with high yield and by using simple cheap method. We also report the formation of curved nanoribbon, wedge-like tin oxide nanowires and star-like nanowires. The growth mechanism of these structures has been studied. Scanning electron microscope was used in the analysis and the EDX analysis showed that our samples is purely Sn and O with ratio 1:2. X-ray analysis was also used in the characterization of the tin oxide nanowire and showed the high crystallinity of our nanowires. The mechanism of the growth of our1D nanostructures is closely related to the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process. The photoluminescence PL measurements for the tin oxide nanowires indicated that there are three stable emission peaks centered at wavelengths 630, 565 and 395 nm. The nature of the transition may be attributed to nanocrystals inside the nanobelts or to Sn or O vacancies occurring during the growth which can induce trapped states in the band gap.

Synthesis and characterization of MnO2 nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Ghorbani, Mohammad Hossein; Davarpanah, Abdol Mahmood

2017-01-01

Manganese oxides are of more interest to researchers because of their ability as catalysts and lithium batteries. In this research, MnO2 nanowires with diameter about 45 nm were synthesized by sol-gel method at room temperature (RT). Effect of increasing the annealing temperature from 400∘C to 600∘C on crystalline structure of nanostructure were studied and average crystallite size was estimated about 22 nm. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) method, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Diffraction (EDXD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) were used to characterize the nanowires of MnO2.

Evaporation phase change processes of water/methanol mixtures on superhydrophobic nanostructured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Cheng-Kun; Lu, Yen-Wen

2011-07-01

Evaporation phenomena are a critical and frequently seen phase change process in many heat transfer applications. In this paper, we study the evaporation process of a sessile droplet on two topologically different surfaces, including smooth and nanostructured surfaces. The nanostructured surface has an array of high-aspect-ratio nanowires (height/diameter ~ 125) and is implemented by using a simple template-based nanofabrication method. It possesses superhydrophobicity (>140°) and low contact angle hysteresis (1.2-2.1°), allowing the liquid droplets to remain in the 'fakir' state throughout the evaporation processes. Sessile droplets of deionized (DI) water and water/methanol binary mixture test liquids with their contact angles and base diameters are monitored. The results show that the nanostructures play a critical role in the droplet dynamics during evaporation.

Evaporation phase change processes of water/methanol mixtures on superhydrophobic nanostructured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Cheng-Kun; Lu, Yen-Wen

2011-01-01

Evaporation phenomena are a critical and frequently seen phase change process in many heat transfer applications. In this paper, we study the evaporation process of a sessile droplet on two topologically different surfaces, including smooth and nanostructured surfaces. The nanostructured surface has an array of high-aspect-ratio nanowires (height/diameter ∼ 125) and is implemented by using a simple template-based nanofabrication method. It possesses superhydrophobicity (>140°) and low contact angle hysteresis (1.2–2.1°), allowing the liquid droplets to remain in the 'fakir' state throughout the evaporation processes. Sessile droplets of deionized (DI) water and water/methanol binary mixture test liquids with their contact angles and base diameters are monitored. The results show that the nanostructures play a critical role in the droplet dynamics during evaporation

Nanostructures for Organic Solar Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goszczak, Arkadiusz Jarosław

2016-01-01

The experimental work in this thesis is focused on the fabrication of nanostructures that can be implemented in organic solar cell (OSC) architecture for enhancement of the device performance. Solar devices made from organic material are gaining increased attention, compared to their inorganic...... counterparts, due to the promising advantages, such as transparency, flexibility, ease of processing etc. But their efficiencies cannot be compared to the inorganic ones. Boosting the efficiency of OSCs by nanopatterning has thus been puzzling many researchers within the past years. Therefore various methods...... have been proposed to be used for developing efficient nanostructures for OSC devices such as, plasmonic structures, nanowires (NWs), gratings, nanorods etc. The nanostructuring methods applied though, do not offer the possibility of a cheap, rapid, reproducible and scalable fabrication. It is the aim...

Magnetic nanowires and hyperthermia: How geometry and material affect heat production efficiency

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.; Zaher, A.; Perez, Jose E.; Ravasi, Timothy; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

Magnetic hyperthermia, which refers to the production of heat by magnetic nanostructures under an alternating magnetic field (AMF), has been previously investigated with superparamagnetic nanobeads as a cancer therapy method. Magnetic nanowires (NWs

A comprehensive study of thermoelectric and transport properties of β-silicon carbide nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valentín, L. A.; Betancourt, J.; Fonseca, L. F., E-mail: luis.fonseca@upr.edu [Department of Physics University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico); Pettes, M. T.; Shi, L. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Soszyński, M.; Huczko, A. [Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University, Pasteur 1 Str., 02-093 Warsaw (Poland)

2013-11-14

The temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient, the electrical and thermal conductivities of individual β-silicon carbide nanowires produced by combustion in a calorimetric bomb were studied using a suspended micro-resistance thermometry device that allows four-point probe measurements to be conducted on each nanowire. Additionally, crystal structure and growth direction for each measured nanowire was directly obtained by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The Fermi level, the carrier concentration, and mobility of each nanostructure were determined using a combination of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity measurements, energy band structure and transport theory calculations. The temperature dependence of the thermal and electrical conductivities of the nanowires was explained in terms of contributions from boundary, impurity, and defect scattering.

Control of the ZnO nanowires nucleation site using microfluidic channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang Hyun; Lee, Hyun Jung; Oh, Dongcheol; Lee, Seog Woo; Goto, Hiroki; Buckmaster, Ryan; Yasukawa, Tomoyuki; Matsue, Tomokazu; Hong, Soon-Ku; Ko, HyunChul; Cho, Meoung-Whan; Yao, Takafumi

2006-03-09

We report on the growth of uniquely shaped ZnO nanowires with high surface area and patterned over large areas by using a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic channel technique. The synthesis uses first a patterned seed template fabricated by zinc acetate solution flowing though a microfluidic channel and then growth of ZnO nanowire at the seed using thermal chemical vapor deposition on a silicon substrate. Variations the ZnO nanowire by seed pattern formed within the microfluidic channel were also observed for different substrates and concentrations of the zinc acetate solution. The photocurrent properties of the patterned ZnO nanowires with high surface area, due to their unique shape, were also investigated. These specialized shapes and patterning technique increase the possibility of realizing one-dimensional nanostructure devices such as sensors and optoelectric devices.

Electrical conductivity characteristic of TiO2 nanowires from hydrothermal method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Othman, Mohd Azlishah; Amat, Noor Faridah; Ahmad, Badrul Hisham; Rajan, Jose

2014-01-01

One dimensional nanostructures of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) were synthesized via hydrothermal method by mixing TiO 2 as precursor in aqueous solution of NaOH as solvent. Then, heat and washing treatment was applied. Thus obtained wires had diameter ∼15 nm. TiO 2 nanowires will be used as a network in solar cell such dye-sensitized solar cell in order to improve the performance of electron movement in the device. To improve the performance of electron movement, the characteristics of TiO 2 nanowires have been analyses using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis, x-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis and brunauer emmett teller (BET) analysis. Finally, electrical conductivity of TiO 2 nanowires was determined by measuring the resistance of the TiO 2 nanowires paste on microscope glass.

Semiconductor nanostructures for artificial photosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Peidong

2012-02-01

Nanowires, with their unique capability to bridge the nanoscopic and macroscopic worlds, have already been demonstrated as important materials for different energy conversion. One emerging and exciting direction is their application for solar to fuel conversion. The generation of fuels by the direct conversion of solar energy in a fully integrated system is an attractive goal, but no such system has been demonstrated that shows the required efficiency, is sufficiently durable, or can be manufactured at reasonable cost. One of the most critical issues in solar water splitting is the development of a suitable photoanode with high efficiency and long-term durability in an aqueous environment. Semiconductor nanowires represent an important class of nanostructure building block for direct solar-to-fuel application because of their high surface area, tunable bandgap and efficient charge transport and collection. Nanowires can be readily designed and synthesized to deterministically incorporate heterojunctions with improved light absorption, charge separation and vectorial transport. Meanwhile, it is also possible to selectively decorate different oxidation or reduction catalysts onto specific segments of the nanowires to mimic the compartmentalized reactions in natural photosynthesis. In this talk, I will highlight several recent examples in this lab using semiconductor nanowires and their heterostructures for the purpose of direct solar water splitting.

Application of Nanostructures in Electrochromic Materials and Devices: Recent Progress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Min Wang

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The recent progress in application of nanostructures in electrochromic materials and devices is reviewed. ZnO nanowire array modified by viologen and WO3, crystalline WO3 nanoparticles and nanorods, mesoporous WO3 and TiO2, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene nanotubes, Prussian blue nanoinks and nanostructures in switchable mirrors are reviewed. The electrochromic properties were significantly enhanced by applying nanostructures, resulting in faster switching responses, higher stability and higher optical contrast. A perspective on the development trends in electrochromic materials and devices is also proposed.

Superconductivity in nanowires

CERN Document Server

Bezryadin, Alexey

2012-01-01

The importance and actuality of nanotechnology is unabated and will be for years to come. A main challenge is to understand the various properties of certain nanostructures, and how to generate structures with specific properties for use in actual applications in Electrical Engineering and Medicine.One of the most important structures are nanowires, in particular superconducting ones. They are highly promising for future electronics, transporting current without resistance and at scales of a few nanometers. To fabricate wires to certain defined standards however, is a major challenge, and so i

On quantum efficiency of photoluminescence in ZnO layers and nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reshchikov, M.A., E-mail: mreshchi@vcu.ed [Physics Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, 701 W. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23284 (United States); El-Shaer, A.; Behrends, A.; Bakin, A.; Waag, A. [Institute of Semiconductor Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig D-38106 (Germany)

2009-12-15

In this work we studied PL in ZnO layers and nanostructures, including ZnO homoepitaxial layers on ZnO substrate and ZnO-Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}O single quantum well (SQW) structures grown on sapphire substrates by MBE, and ZnO nanowires grown on sapphire by MOCVD. The external quantum efficiency (QE) of PL in O-face ZnO layers exceeded that in Zn-face ZnO layers by two orders of magnitude at low temperatures. In a sample with SQW the combined external QE from the 4.6-nm-wide SQW and 50-nm-thick Zn{sub 1-x}Mg{sub x}O barriers achieved 28% at 15 K. The highest external QE was observed in one of the samples with ZnO nanowires-52% at 15 K and 2% at 300 K. Contribution of defect-related PL bands in ZnO nanowires samples was extremely low.

Thermal conductivity engineering in width-modulated silicon nanowires and thermoelectric efficiency enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Zianni, Xanthippi

2018-03-01

Width-modulated nanowires have been proposed as efficient thermoelectric materials. Here, the electron and phonon transport properties and the thermoelectric efficiency are discussed for dimensions above the quantum confinement regime. The thermal conductivity decreases dramatically in the presence of thin constrictions due to their ballistic thermal resistance. It shows a scaling behavior upon the width-modulation rate that allows for thermal conductivity engineering. The electron conductivity also decreases due to enhanced boundary scattering by the constrictions. The effect of boundary scattering is weaker for electrons than for phonons and the overall thermoelectric efficiency is enhanced. A ZT enhancement by a factor of 20-30 is predicted for width-modulated nanowires compared to bulk silicon. Our findings indicate that width-modulated nanostructures are promising for developing silicon nanostructures with high thermoelectric efficiency.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.; Sougrat, Rachid; Zaher, Amir Omar; Ravasi, Timothy; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 μg/mL) of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz) for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. © 2015 Contreras et al.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Contreras, Maria F.

2015-03-01

In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 μg/mL) of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz) for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. © 2015 Contreras et al.

Influence of oxygen incorporation on the defect structure of GaN microrods and nanowires. An XPS and CL study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guzmán, G; Herrera, M; Silva, R; Vásquez, G C; Maestre, D

2016-01-01

We report a cathodoluminescence (CL) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of the influence of oxygen incorporation on the defect structure of GaN microrods and nanowires. The micro- and nanostructures were synthesized by a thermal evaporation method, which enables us to incorporate oxygen at different concentrations by varying the growth temperature. HR-TEM measurements revealed that oxygen generates stacking fault defects and edge dislocations along the GaN nanowires. Amorphous GaO x N y compounds were segregated on the surface of the nanowires. XPS, XRD and CL measurements suggests that the microrods and nanowires were composed of amorphous oxynitride compounds at their surface and GaN at their inner region. CL measurements revealed that the nanostructures generated an emission of 2.68 eV that increased in intensity proportionally to their oxygen content. We have attributed this emission to electronic transitions between donor substitutional-oxygen (O N ) and acceptor interstitial-oxygen (O i ) state levels. (paper)

Electrodeposition of ZnO nano-wires lattices with a controlled morphology; Electrodepot de reseaux de nanofils de ZnO a morphologie controlee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elias, J.; Tena-Zaera, R.; Katty, A.; Levy-Clement, C. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Lab. de Chimie Metallurgique des Terres Rares, UPR 209, 94 - Thiais (France)

2006-07-01

In this work, it is shown that the electrodeposition is a changeable low cost method which allows, according to the synthesis conditions, to obtain not only plane thin layers of ZnO but different nano-structures too. In a first part, are presented the formation conditions of a compact thin layer of nanocrystalline ZnO electrodeposited on a conducing glass substrate. This layer plays a buffer layer role for the deposition of a lattice of ZnO nano-wires. The step of nano-wires nucleation is not only determined by the electrochemical parameters but by the properties of the buffer layer too as the grain sizes and its thickness. In this context, the use of an electrodeposition method in two steps allows to control the nano-wires length and diameter and their density. The morphology and the structural and optical properties of these nano-structures have been analyzed by different techniques as the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the X-ray diffraction and the optical spectroscopy. These studies show that ZnO nano-structures are formed of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires, presenting a great developed surface and a great optical transparency in the visible. These properties make ZnO a good material for the development of nano-structured photovoltaic cells as the extremely thin absorber cells (PV ETA) or those with dye (DSSC) which are generally prepared with porous polycrystalline TiO{sub 2}. Its replacement by a lattice of monocrystalline ZnO nano-wires allows to reduce considerably the number of grain boundaries and in consequence to improve the transport of the electrons. The results are then promising for the PV ETA cells with ZnO nano-wires. (O.M.)

Excellent field emission properties of vertically oriented CuO nanowire films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Long Feng

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Oriented CuO nanowire films were synthesized on a large scale using simple method of direct heating copper grids in air. The field emission properties of the sample can be enhanced by improving the aspect ratio of the nanowires just through a facile method of controlling the synthesis conditions. Although the density of the nanowires is large enough, the screen effect is not an important factor in this field emission process because few nanowires sticking out above the rest. Benefiting from the unique geometrical and structural features, the CuO nanowire samples show excellent field emission (FE properties. The FE measurements of CuO nanowire films illustrate that the sample synthesized at 500 °C for 8 h has a comparatively low turn-on field of 0.68 V/μm, a low threshold field of 1.1 V/μm, and a large field enhancement factor β of 16782 (a record high value for CuO nanostructures, to the best of our knowledge, indicating that the samples are promising candidates for field emission applications.

Synthesis, structure and optical properties of single-crystalline In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadia, N.M.A., E-mail: nomery_abass@yahoo.com [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag (Egypt); Mohamed, H.A. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag (Egypt); King Saud University, Teachers College, Science Department (Physics), 11148 Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Metal and metal oxide one dimensional (1D) nanostructured materials are of crucial importance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The paper deals with the synthesis of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires without the use of catalysts. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The optical constants and Photoluminescence (PL) of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires were evaluated. - Abstract: Indium oxide In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires have been recently synthesized revealing interesting properties and used in various applications. In order to reduce as much as possible the influence of undesired dopants and/or impurities on the observed properties, In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires have been grown without the use of catalysts, directly from metallic indium by a vapor transport technique and a controlled oxidation with oxygen-argon mixtures. Depending on the growth conditions (temperature, vapor pressure, oxygen concentration, etc.) different results have been achieved and it has been observed that a 'proper' In condensation on the substrates may enhance the nanowires growth. Detailed structural analysis showed that the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures are single crystalline with a cubic crystal structure. The grown In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires were optically characterized in order to evaluate the absorption coefficient, optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient. Room temperature Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum showed broad and intense blue emission at 375 nm.

Controlled synthesis of uniform ultrafine CuO nanowires as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Fei; Tao Weizhe; Zhao Mingshu; Xu Minwei; Yang Shengchun; Sun Zhanbo; Wang Liqun; Song Xiaoping

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The ultrafine CuO nanowires were controlled synthesized by a simple solution route. → CuO nanowires exhibit high capacity, superior cyclability and improved rate capability. → Voltage-capacity curves show larger extra reversible reactions at low potentials in CuO nanowires. → CV curves show lower over-potential in CuO nanowires. - Abstract: A simple solution route is used to synthesize ultrafine Cu(OH) 2 nanowires by restraining the morphology transformation of early formed 1D nanostructure. The obtained ultrafine nanowires can be well preserved at a low temperature structure transformation in solid state. As anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the ultrafine CuO nanowires exhibit high reversible capacity, superior cycling performance and improved rate capability. The improved electrochemical properties of CuO nanowires are ascribed to their ultrafine size which lead to the reduced over-potential, extra reversible reactions at low potentials and improved interface performance between the electrode and electrolyte.

David Adler Lectureship Award Talk: III-V Semiconductor Nanowires on Silicon for Future Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Riel, Heike

Bottom-up grown nanowires are very attractive materials for direct integration of III-V semiconductors on silicon thus opening up new possibilities for the design and fabrication of nanoscale devices for electronic, optoelectronic as well as quantum information applications. Template-Assisted Selective Epitaxy (TASE) allows the well-defined and monolithic integration of complex III-V nanostructures and devices on silicon. Achieving atomically abrupt heterointerfaces, high crystal quality and control of dimension down to 1D nanowires enabled the demonstration of FETs and tunnel devices based on In(Ga)As and GaSb. Furthermore, the strong influence of strain on nanowires as well as results on quantum transport studies of InAs nanowires with well-defined geometry will be presented.

ZrTiO4 nanowire growth using membrane-assisted Pechini route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. R. de Lucena

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The high surface-to-volume ratio of nanowires makes them natural competitors as new device components. In this regard, a current major challenge is to produce quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures composed of well established oxide-based materials. This article reports the synthesis of ZrTiO4 nanowires on a silicon (100 wafer in a single-step deposition/thermal treatment. The template-directed membrane synthesis strategy was associated with the Pechini route and spin-coating deposition technique. ZrTiO4 nanowires were obtained at 700 ˚C with diameters in the range of 80-100 nm. FEG- SEM images were obtained to investigate ZrTiO4 nanowire formation on the silicon surface and energy dispersive x-ray detection (EDS and x-ray diffraction (XRD analyses were performed to confirm the oxide composition and structure.

ZrTiO4 Nanowire Growth Using Membrane-assisted Pechini Route

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poty Rodrigues de Lucena

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The high surface-to-volume ratio of nanowires makes them natural competitors as newer device components. In this regard, a current major challenge is to produce quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures composed of well-established oxide-based materials. This article reports the synthesis of ZrTiO4 nanowires on a silicon (100 wafer in a single-step deposition/thermal treatment. The template-directed membrane synthesis strategy was associated with the Pechini route and spin-coating deposition technique. ZrTiO4 nanowires were obtained at 700 °C with diameters in the range of 80-100 nm. FEGSEM images were obtained to investigate ZrTiO4 nanowire formation on the silicon surface and energy dispersive X-ray detection (EDS and X-ray diffraction (XRD analyses were performed to confirm the oxide composition and structure. 

Magnetic field-assisted synthesis of wire-like Co3O4 nanostructures: Electrochemical and photocatalytic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiubin; Pang, Zhanwen; Wu, Mingzai; Liu, Xiansong; Zhang, Hui; Ma, Yongqing; Sun, Zhaoqi; Zhang, Lide; Chen, Xiaoshuang

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Schematic illustration for the magnetic field-assisted growth of wire-like Co 3 O 4 nanostructure. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Co 3 O 4 nanowires are prepared by magnetic field hydrothermal reduction and annealing. ► These Co 3 O 4 nanowires possess enhanced capacitance. ► The Co 3 O 4 nanowires have a good photocatalytic activity for methyl orange. -- Abstract: Wire-like Co 3 O 4 nanostructures were prepared by the combination of magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal reduction of cobalt ions and the subsequent ambient annealing at 500 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphological evolution of the products. The results show that the wire-like nanostructures possess diameters about 250 nm and lengths over 10 μm. The possible formation mechanism of the wire-like Co 3 O 4 nanostructures is also proposed based on the SEM results. Galvanostatic methods were used to characterize the electrochemical properties. The measurements indicate that the wire-like Co 3 O 4 nanostructures show larger discharge and charge capacities than that of spherical Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles prepared in the absence of magnetic field. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the products was investigated by measuring the photodegradation of methyl orange solution under ultraviolet radiation, which shows that both the wire-like and spherical products have a good photocatalytic activity.

Spark-plasma-sintering magnetic field assisted compaction of Co{sub 80}Ni{sub 20} nanowires for anisotropic ferromagnetic bulk materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ouar, Nassima; Schoenstein, Frédéric; Mercone, Silvana; Farhat, Samir; Jouini, Noureddine [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux, CNRS, LSPM—UPR 3407, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, 99 Avenue J.-B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Villeroy, Benjamin [Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris Est, CNRS, ICMPE—UMR 7182, Equipe de Chimie Métallurgique des Terres Rares, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais Cedex (France); Leridon, Brigitte [Laboratoire de Physique et d’Étude des Matériaux, LPEM, ESPCI-ParisTech, CNRS, UPMC, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75231 Paris Cedex 5 (France)

2013-10-28

We developed a two-step process showing the way for sintering anisotropic nanostructured bulk ferromagnetic materials. A new reactor has been optimized allowing the synthesis of several grams per batch of nanopowders via a polyol soft chemistry route. The feasibility of the scale-up has been successfully demonstrated for Co{sub 80}Ni{sub 20} nanowires and a massic yield of ∼97% was obtained. The thus obtained nanowires show an average diameter of ∼6 nm and a length of ∼270 nm. A new bottom-up strategy allowed us to compact the powder into a bulk nanostructured system. We used a spark-plasma-sintering technique under uniaxial compression and low temperature assisted by a permanent magnetic field of 1 T. A macroscopic pellet of partially aligned nanowire arrays has been easily obtained. This showed optimized coercive properties along the direction of the magnetic field applied during compaction (i.e., the nanowires' direction)

Magnetic properties of nickel nanostructures grown in AAO membrane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, S.-L.; Kim, Y.-R.; Malkinski, L.; Vovk, A.; Whittenburg, S.L.; Kim, E.-M.; Jung, J.-S.

2007-01-01

One-dimensional nanostructures can be built by performing chemical or electrochemical reactions in the pores of a suitable host or matrix material. We have developed a method of electrodeposition of nickel nanostructures inside cylindrical pores of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, which provides precise control of the nanostructure height. We were able to fabricate hexagonal arrays of particles in the form of spheres, rods and long wires. Magnetization measurements of these nanostructures as function of field and temperature were carried out using a superconducting quantum-interference device magnetometer. The shape of nickel nanostructures has been investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope. The coercivity of the nickel nanostructures measured with the field perpendicular to the membrane was increasing with increasing aspect ratio of the nanostructures. These experimental values of the coercivity, varying from 200 Oe for the spherical nanodots to 730 Oe for the nanowires, are in a fair agreement with our micromagnetic modeling calculations

Magnetic properties of nickel nanostructures grown in AAO membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, S -L [Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Y -R [Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Malkinski, L [Advanced Material Research Institute, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States); Vovk, A [Advanced Material Research Institute, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States); Whittenburg, S L [Advanced Material Research Institute, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States); Kim, E -M [Korea Basic Science Institute, Kangnung 210-702 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, J -S [Department of Chemistry, Kangnung National University, Kangnung 210-702 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-03-15

One-dimensional nanostructures can be built by performing chemical or electrochemical reactions in the pores of a suitable host or matrix material. We have developed a method of electrodeposition of nickel nanostructures inside cylindrical pores of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, which provides precise control of the nanostructure height. We were able to fabricate hexagonal arrays of particles in the form of spheres, rods and long wires. Magnetization measurements of these nanostructures as function of field and temperature were carried out using a superconducting quantum-interference device magnetometer. The shape of nickel nanostructures has been investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope. The coercivity of the nickel nanostructures measured with the field perpendicular to the membrane was increasing with increasing aspect ratio of the nanostructures. These experimental values of the coercivity, varying from 200 Oe for the spherical nanodots to 730 Oe for the nanowires, are in a fair agreement with our micromagnetic modeling calculations.

BiOCl nanowire with hierarchical structure and its Raman features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Ye; Guo Chuanfei; Guo Yanjun; Wang Qi; Liu Qian

2012-01-01

BiOCl is a promising V-VI-VII-compound semiconductor with excellent optical and electrical properties, and has great potential applications in photo-catalysis, photoelectric, etc. We successfully synthesize BiOCl nanowire with a hierarchical structure by combining wet etch (top-down) with liquid phase crystal growth (bottom-up) process, opening a novel method to construct ordered bismuth-based nanostructures. The morphology and lattice structures of Bi nanowires, β-Bi 2 O 3 nanowires and BiOCl nanowires with the hierarchical structure are investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transition electron microscope (TEM). The formation mechanism of such ordered BiOCl hierarchical structure is considered to mainly originate from the highly preferred growth, which is governed by the lattice match between (1 1 0) facet of BiOCl and (2 2 0) or (0 0 2) facet of β-Bi 2 O 3 . A schematic model is also illustrated to depict the formation process of the ordered BiOCl hierarchical structure. In addition, Raman properties of the BiOCl nanowire with the hierarchical structure are investigated deeply.

Preparation and characterisation of magnetic nanostructured samples for inelastic neutron scattering experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreuzpaintner, Wolfgang

2010-06-22

Recent advances in thin-film structuring techniques have generated significant interest in the dynamics of spin waves in magnetic nanostructures and the possible use of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) for their investigation. This thesis describes the design and implementation, at GKSS Research Centre, of equipment for preparation of large and laterally submicron and nanometre structured magnetic samples for such future INS experiments. After a brief resume on spin waves in nanostructures, the development work on new purpose-designed equipment, including high vacuum (HV) argon ion beam milling and ultra high vacuum (UHV) e-beam evaporation setups, is described. Ni nanodot as well as Ni and novel Gd nanowire samples were prepared using combinations of sputter deposition, laser interference lithography, argon ion beam milling, e-beam evaporation and self organisation techniques. With reference to sample preparation, epitaxial growth studies for Ni on Si(100) substrate were performed, resulting in the development of a new deposition process, which by thermal tuning allows for the direct epitaxial growth of Ni on Si with unprecedented crystalline quality. The results of various characterisation experiments on the prepared nanostructured samples, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), microprobe analysis, Atomic and Magnetic Force Microscopy (AFM/MFM), Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Reflectivity (XRR), unpolarised and Polarised Neutron Scattering (PNR) and off-specular scattering by X-rays and neutrons using rocking scans and Time-Of-Flight Grazing Incidence Small Angle Neutron Scattering (TOF-GISANS), together with various analysis procedures such as Distorted-Wave Born Approximation (DWBA), are reported. The analysis of a Gd nanowire sample by TOF-GISANS led to a novel evaluation technique which in comparison with single wavelength methods allows portions of reciprocal space to be scanned without changing the angle of

Preparation and characterisation of magnetic nanostructured samples for inelastic neutron scattering experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreuzpaintner, Wolfgang

2010-01-01

Recent advances in thin-film structuring techniques have generated significant interest in the dynamics of spin waves in magnetic nanostructures and the possible use of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) for their investigation. This thesis describes the design and implementation, at GKSS Research Centre, of equipment for preparation of large and laterally submicron and nanometre structured magnetic samples for such future INS experiments. After a brief resume on spin waves in nanostructures, the development work on new purpose-designed equipment, including high vacuum (HV) argon ion beam milling and ultra high vacuum (UHV) e-beam evaporation setups, is described. Ni nanodot as well as Ni and novel Gd nanowire samples were prepared using combinations of sputter deposition, laser interference lithography, argon ion beam milling, e-beam evaporation and self organisation techniques. With reference to sample preparation, epitaxial growth studies for Ni on Si(100) substrate were performed, resulting in the development of a new deposition process, which by thermal tuning allows for the direct epitaxial growth of Ni on Si with unprecedented crystalline quality. The results of various characterisation experiments on the prepared nanostructured samples, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), microprobe analysis, Atomic and Magnetic Force Microscopy (AFM/MFM), Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Reflectivity (XRR), unpolarised and Polarised Neutron Scattering (PNR) and off-specular scattering by X-rays and neutrons using rocking scans and Time-Of-Flight Grazing Incidence Small Angle Neutron Scattering (TOF-GISANS), together with various analysis procedures such as Distorted-Wave Born Approximation (DWBA), are reported. The analysis of a Gd nanowire sample by TOF-GISANS led to a novel evaluation technique which in comparison with single wavelength methods allows portions of reciprocal space to be scanned without changing the angle of

In situ controlled synthesis of various TiO2 nanostructured materials via a facile hydrothermal route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hai; Liu Yong; Zhong Minyi; Xu Hongmei; Huang Hong; Shen Hui

2011-01-01

Various TiO 2 nanomaterials, such as nanosheets, nanoflowers, and nanowires were directly self assembled on titanium substrate on a large scale under hydrothermal conditions. The morphology of the formed TiO 2 nanomaterials could be easily tuned by varying the experimental parameters of temperature, reaction time, and the NaOH concentration. A possible formation mechanism was suggested on the basis of the shape evolution of TiO 2 nanostructures by SEM images in combination with XRD patterns of as-grown samples. The optical properties of TiO 2 nanosheets, nanoflowers, and nanowires were characterized by reflectance spectroscopy. The studies revealed that the absorption capability of visible light is obviously different for TiO 2 with different morphologies. Moreover, TiO 2 nanosheets exhibited better light trapping than TiO 2 nanoflowers and TiO 2 nanowires due to their unique nanostructure.

Thin-dielectric-layer engineering for 3D nanostructure integration using an innovative planarization approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerfi, Y; Doucet, J B; Larrieu, G

2015-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures are emerging as promising building blocks for a large spectrum of applications. One critical issue in integration regards mastering the thin, flat, and chemically stable insulating layer that must be implemented on the nanostructure network in order to build striking nano-architectures. In this letter, we report an innovative method for nanoscale planarization on 3D nanostructures by using hydrogen silesquioxane as a spin-on-glass (SOG) dielectric material. To decouple the thickness of the final layer from the height of the nanostructure, we propose to embed the nanowire network in the insulator layer by exploiting the planarizing properties of the SOG approach. To achieve the desired dielectric thickness, the structure is chemically etched back with a highly diluted solution to control the etch rate precisely. The roughness of the top surface was less than 2 nm. There were no surface defects and the planarity was excellent, even in the vicinity of the nanowires. This newly developed process was used to realize a multilevel stack architecture with sub-deca-nanometer-range layer thickness. (paper)

Matrix-assisted energy conversion in nanostructured piezoelectric arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Sirbuly, Donald J.; Wang, Xianying; Wang, Yinmin

2013-01-01

A nanoconverter is capable of directly generating electricity through a nanostructure embedded in a polymer layer experiencing differential thermal expansion in a stress transfer zone. High surface-to-volume ratio semiconductor nanowires or nanotubes (such as ZnO, silicon, carbon, etc.) are grown either aligned or substantially vertically aligned on a substrate. The resulting nanoforest is then embedded with the polymer layer, which transfers stress to the nanostructures in the stress transfer zone, thereby creating a nanostructure voltage output due to the piezoelectric effect acting on the nanostructure. Electrodes attached at both ends of the nanostructures generate output power at densities of .about.20 nW/cm.sup.2 with heating temperatures of .about.65.degree. C. Nanoconverters arrayed in a series parallel arrangement may be constructed in planar, stacked, or rolled arrays to supply power to nano- and micro-devices without use of external batteries.

Silicon nanostructures-induced photoelectrochemical solar water splitting for energy applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dadwal, U.; Singh, R. [Nanoscale Research Facility (NRF), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016 (India); Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016 (India); Ranjan, Neha [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-110025 (India)

2016-05-23

We study the photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar water splitting assisted with synthesized nanostructures. Si nanowires decorated with silver dendrite nanostructures have been synthesized using metal assisted wet chemical etching of (100) Si wafer. Etching has been carried out in an aqueous solution consisting of 5M HF and 0.02M AgNO{sub 3}. Investigations showed that such type of semiconductor nanostructures act as efficient working electrodes for the splitting of normal water in PEC method. An enhancement in the photon-to-current conversion efficiency and solar-to-hydrogen evolution was observed for obtaining a practical source of clean and renewable fuel.

Preparation and characterization of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube hybrid thin-film electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Po-Chiang; Shen, Guozhen; Shi, Yi; Chen, Haitian; Zhou, Chongwu

2010-08-24

In the work described in this paper, we have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrid thin-film electrodes. These hybrid nanostructured films, with advantages of mechanical flexibility, uniform layered structures, and mesoporous surface morphology, were produced by using a filtration method. Here, manganese dioxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films worked as the positive electrode, and indium oxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films served as the negative electrode in a designed ASC. In our design, charges can be stored not only via electrochemical double-layer capacitance from SWNT films but also through a reversible faradic process from transition-metal-oxide nanowires. In addition, to obtain stable electrochemical behavior during charging/discharging cycles in a 2 V potential window, the mass balance between two electrodes has been optimized. Our optimized hybrid nanostructured ASCs exhibited a superior device performance with specific capacitance of 184 F/g, energy density of 25.5 Wh/kg, and columbic efficiency of approximately 90%. In addition, our ASCs exhibited a power density of 50.3 kW/kg, which is 10-fold higher than obtained in early reported ASC work. The high-performance hybrid nanostructured ASCs can find applications in conformal electrics, portable electronics, and electrical vehicles.

Photoemission electron microscopy of localized surface plasmons in silver nanostructures at telecommunication wavelengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mårsell, Erik; Larsen, Esben W.; Arnold, Cord L.; Xu, Hongxing; Mauritsson, Johan; Mikkelsen, Anders, E-mail: anders.mikkelsen@sljus.lu.se [Department of Physics, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, 22 100 Lund (Sweden)

2015-02-28

We image the field enhancement at Ag nanostructures using femtosecond laser pulses with a center wavelength of 1.55 μm. Imaging is based on non-linear photoemission observed in a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). The images are directly compared to ultra violet PEEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the same structures. Further, we have carried out atomic scale scanning tunneling microscopy on the same type of Ag nanostructures and on the Au substrate. Measuring the photoelectron spectrum from individual Ag particles shows a larger contribution from higher order photoemission processes above the work function threshold than would be predicted by a fully perturbative model, consistent with recent results using shorter wavelengths. Investigating a wide selection of both Ag nanoparticles and nanowires, field enhancement is observed from 30% of the Ag nanoparticles and from none of the nanowires. No laser-induced damage is observed of the nanostructures neither during the PEEM experiments nor in subsequent SEM analysis. By direct comparison of SEM and PEEM images of the same nanostructures, we can conclude that the field enhancement is independent of the average nanostructure size and shape. Instead, we propose that the variations in observed field enhancement could originate from the wedge interface between the substrate and particles electrically connected to the substrate.

Nanowire structures and electrical devices

Science.gov (United States)

Bezryadin, Alexey; Remeika, Mikas

2010-07-06

The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive segments and conductance constricting segments of a nanowire, such as metallic, superconducting or semiconducting nanowire. The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive nanowire segments and conductance constricting nanowire segments having accurately selected phases including crystalline and amorphous states, compositions, morphologies and physical dimensions, including selected cross sectional dimensions, shapes and lengths along the length of a nanowire. Further, the present invention provides methods of processing nanowires capable of patterning a nanowire to form a plurality of conductance constricting segments having selected positions along the length of a nanowire, including conductance constricting segments having reduced cross sectional dimensions and conductance constricting segments comprising one or more insulating materials such as metal oxides.

Study of quantum confinement effects in ZnO nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Movlarooy, Tayebeh

2018-03-01

Motivation to fact that zinc oxide nanowires and nanotubes with successful synthesis and the mechanism of formation, stability and electronic properties have been investigated; in this study the structural, electronic properties and quantum confinement effects of zinc oxide nanotubes and nanowires with different diameters are discussed. The calculations within density functional theory and the pseudo potential approximation are done. The electronic structure and energy gap for Armchair and zigzag ZnO nanotubes with a diameter of about 4 to 55 Angstrom and ZnO nanowires with a diameter range of 4 to 23 Å is calculated. The results revealed that due to the quantum confinement effects, by reducing the diameter of nanowires and nanotubes, the energy gap increases. Zinc oxide semiconductor nanostructures since having direct band gap with size-dependent and quantum confinement effect are recommended as an appropriate candidate for making nanoscale optoelectronic devices.

Transport and structural characterization of solution-processable doped ZnO nanowires

KAUST Repository

Noriega, Rodrigo

2009-08-18

The use of ZnO nanowires has become a widespread topic of interest in optoelectronics. In order to correctly assess the quality, functionality, and possible applications of such nanostructures it is important to accurately understand their electrical and optical properties. Aluminum- and gallium-doped crystalline ZnO nanowires were synthesized using a low-temperature solution-based process, achieving dopant densities of the order of 1020 cm-3. A non-contact optical technique, photothermal deflection spectroscopy, is used to characterize ensembles of ZnO nanowires. By modeling the free charge carrier absorption as a Drude metal, we are able to calculate the free carrier density and mobility. Determining the location of the dopant atoms in the ZnO lattice is important to determine the doping mechanisms of the ZnO nanowires. Solid-state NMR is used to distinguish between coordination environments of the dopant atoms.

Comparison of multilayered nanowire imaging by SEM and Helium Ion Microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inkson, B J; Peng, Y; Jepson, M A E; Rodenburg, C; Liu, X

2010-01-01

The helium ion microscope (HeIM) is capable of probe sizes smaller than SEM and, with intrinsically small ion/sample interaction volumes, may therefore potentially offer higher spatial resolution secondary electron (SE) imaging of nanostructures. Here 55 nm diameter CoPt/Pt multilayered nanowires have been imaged by HeIM, SEM and TEM. It is found that there is an increased resolution of nanowire surface topography in HeIM SE images compared to SEM, however there is a reduction of materials contrast of the alternating Pt and CoPt layers. This can be attributed to the increased contribution of surface contamination layers to the ion-induced SE signal, and carbon is also observed to grow on the nanowires under prolonged HeIM scanning.

Formation of self-ordered porous anodized alumina template for growing tungsten trioxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Tajamal; Shah, Asma Tufail; Shehzad, Khurram; Mujahid, Adnan; Farooqi, Zahoor Hussain; Raza, Muhammad Hamid; Ahmed, Mirza Nadeem; Nisa, Zaib Un

2015-12-01

Uniform porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane has been synthesized by two-step anodization for fabricating tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanowires. Under assayed conditions, uniform porous structure of alumina (Al2O3) membrane with long range ordered hexagonal arrangements of nanopores was achieved. The self-assembled template possesses pores of internal diameter of 50 nm and interpore distance ( d int) of 80 nm with a thickness of about 80 µm, i.e., used for fabrication of nanostructures. WO3 nanowires have been fabricated by simple electroless deposition method inside Al2O3 nanopores. SEM images show tungsten trioxide nanowire with internal diameter of about 50 nm, similar to porous diameter of AAO template. XRD results showed that nanowires exist in cubic crystalline state with minor proportion of monoclinic phase.

Single-crystalline self-branched anatase titania nanowires for dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenquan; Yang, Huang; Wu, Fei; Fu, Jianxun; Wang, Linjun; Yang, Weiguang

2017-03-01

The morphology of the anatase titania plays an important role in improving the photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells. In this work, single-crystalline self-branched anatase TiO2 nanowires have been synthesized by hydrothermal method using TBAH and CTAB as morphology controlling agents. The obtained self-branched TiO2 nanowires dominated by a large percentage of (010) facets. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency (6.37%) of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on the self-branched TiO2 nanowires shows a significant improvement (26.6%) compared to that of P25 TiO2 (5.03%). The enhanced performance of the self-branched TiO2 nanowires-based DSSC is due to heir large percent of exposed (010) facets which have strong dye adsorption capacity and effective charge transport of the self-branched 1D nanostructures.

Lead-free LiNbO3 nanowire-based nanocomposite for piezoelectric power generation

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

In a flexible nanocomposite-based nanogenerator, in which piezoelectric nanostructures are mixed with polymers, important parameters to increase the output power include using long nanowires with high piezoelectricity and decreasing the dielectric constant of the nanocomposite. Here, we report on piezoelectric power generation from a lead-free LiNbO3 nanowire-based nanocomposite. Through ion exchange of ultra-long Na2Nb2O6-H2O nanowires, we synthesized long (approximately 50 μm in length) single-crystalline LiNbO3 nanowires having a high piezoelectric coefficient (d33 approximately 25 pmV-1). By blending LiNbO3 nanowires with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) polymer (volume ratio 1:100), we fabricated a flexible nanocomposite nanogenerator having a low dielectric constant (approximately 2.7). The nanogenerator generated stable electric power, even under excessive strain conditions (approximately 105 cycles). The different piezoelectric coefficients of d33 and d31 for LiNbO3 may have resulted in generated voltage and current for the e33 geometry that were 20 and 100 times larger than those for the e31 geometry, respectively. This study suggests the importance of the blending ratio and strain geometry for higher output-power generation in a piezoelectric nanocomposite-based nanogenerator. PACS 77.65.-j; 77.84.-s; 73.21.Hb PMID:24386884

Synthesis and Application of One-Dimensional La(OH3 Nanostructures: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Xiao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available One-dimensional (1D semiconductor nanomaterials are of particular importance owing to their unique properties and potential applications. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive introduction of 1D La(OH3 nanostructures including nanowires, nanoneedles, nanobelts, and nanorods. Firstly, various strategies developed to fabricate the 1D La(OH3 nanostructures are discussed, such as precipitation and composite-hydroxide-mediated, hydrothermal, and solvothermal methods, accompanying the description of the corresponding growth mechanisms. Then, the unique properties such as novel physical properties of 1D La(OH3 nanostructures resulting from their unique electronic structures and numerous transition modes involving the 4f shells of these ions are represented in detail. Also, the wide applications in photocatalyst, capacitors, and photoluminescence based on the unique properties are discussed. Finally, the paper ends with a summary and some perspectives on the challenges and new directions in this emerging area.

Template-directed formation of functional complex metal-oxide nanostructures by combination of sol-gel processing and spin coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Y.C.; Kim, J.; Bu, S.D.

2006-01-01

We report the template-based formation of functional complex metal-oxide nanostructures by a combination of sol-gel processing and spin coating. This method employs the spin-coating of a sol-gel solution into an anodic aluminum oxide membrane (SSAM). Various metal-oxide nanowires and nanotubes with a high aspect-ratio were prepared. The aspect-ratios of the PbO 2 nanowires and Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 nanowires were about 300 and 400, respectively, and their diameters were about 50 nm. The fabricated PbTiO 3 nanotubes have a relatively constant wall thickness of about 20 nm with an outer diameter of about 60 nm. The deposition time for all of the fabricated metal-oxide nanowires and nanotubes is less than 120 s, which is far shorter than those required in both the sol-gel dipping and sol-gel electrophoretic methods. These results indicate that the SSAM method can be a versatile pathway to prepare functional complex metal-oxide nanowires and nanotubes with a high aspect-ratio. The possible formation process for the one-dimensional nanostructures by SSAM is discussed

Diamond nanowires: a novel platform for electrochemistry and matrix-free mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Szunerits, Sabine; Coffinier, Yannick; Boukherroub, Rabah

2015-05-27

Over the last decades, carbon-based nanostructures have generated a huge interest from both fundamental and technological viewpoints owing to their physicochemical characteristics, markedly different from their corresponding bulk states. Among these nanostructured materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and more recently graphene and its derivatives, hold a central position. The large amount of work devoted to these materials is driven not only by their unique mechanical and electrical properties, but also by the advances made in synthetic methods to produce these materials in large quantities with reasonably controllable morphologies. While much less studied than CNTs and graphene, diamond nanowires, the diamond analogue of CNTs, hold promise for several important applications. Diamond nanowires display several advantages such as chemical inertness, high mechanical strength, high thermal and electrical conductivity, together with proven biocompatibility and existence of various strategies to functionalize their surface. The unique physicochemical properties of diamond nanowires have generated wide interest for their use as fillers in nanocomposites, as light detectors and emitters, as substrates for nanoelectronic devices, as tips for scanning probe microscopy as well as for sensing applications. In the past few years, studies on boron-doped diamond nanowires (BDD NWs) focused on increasing their electrochemical active surface area to achieve higher sensitivity and selectivity compared to planar diamond interfaces. The first part of the present review article will cover the promising applications of BDD NWS for label-free sensing. Then, the potential use of diamond nanowires as inorganic substrates for matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, a powerful label-free approach for quantification and identification of small compounds, will be discussed.

Diamond Nanowires: A Novel Platform for Electrochemistry and Matrix-Free Mass Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Szunerits

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Over the last decades, carbon-based nanostructures have generated a huge interest from both fundamental and technological viewpoints owing to their physicochemical characteristics, markedly different from their corresponding bulk states. Among these nanostructured materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs, and more recently graphene and its derivatives, hold a central position. The large amount of work devoted to these materials is driven not only by their unique mechanical and electrical properties, but also by the advances made in synthetic methods to produce these materials in large quantities with reasonably controllable morphologies. While much less studied than CNTs and graphene, diamond nanowires, the diamond analogue of CNTs, hold promise for several important applications. Diamond nanowires display several advantages such as chemical inertness, high mechanical strength, high thermal and electrical conductivity, together with proven biocompatibility and existence of various strategies to functionalize their surface. The unique physicochemical properties of diamond nanowires have generated wide interest for their use as fillers in nanocomposites, as light detectors and emitters, as substrates for nanoelectronic devices, as tips for scanning probe microscopy as well as for sensing applications. In the past few years, studies on boron-doped diamond nanowires (BDD NWs focused on increasing their electrochemical active surface area to achieve higher sensitivity and selectivity compared to planar diamond interfaces. The first part of the present review article will cover the promising applications of BDD NWS for label-free sensing. Then, the potential use of diamond nanowires as inorganic substrates for matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, a powerful label-free approach for quantification and identification of small compounds, will be discussed.

Engineering Nano-Structured Multiferroic Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Pui Lam

Multiferroics exhibit remarkable tunabilities in their ferromagnetic, ferroelectric and magnetoelectric properties that provide the potential in enabling the control of magnetizations by electric field for the next generation non-volatile memories, antennas and motors. In recent research and developments in integrating single-phase ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials, multiferroic composite demonstrated a promising magnetoelectric (ME) coupling for future applications. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, on the other hand, allows fabrications of complex multiferroic nanostructures to investigate interfacial coupling between the two materials. In this work, radical-enhanced ALD of cobalt ferrite (CFO) and thermal ALD of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) were combined in fabricating complex multiferroic architectures in investigating the effect of nanostructuring and magnetic shape anisotropy on improving ME coupling. In particular, 1D CFO nanotubes and nanowires; 0D-3D CFO/PZT mesoporous composite; and 1D-1D CFO/PZT core-shell nanowire composite were studied. The potential implementation of nanostructured multiferroic composites into functioning devices was assessed by quantifying the converse ME coupling coefficient. The synthesis of 1D CFO nanostructures was realized by ALD of CFO in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. This work provided a simple and inexpensive route to create parallel and high aspect ratio ( 55) magnetic nanostructures. The change in magnetic easy axis of (partially filled) CFO nanotubes from perpendicular to parallel in (fully-filled) nanowires indicated the significance of the geometric factor in controlling magnetizations and ME coupling. The 0D-3D CFO/PZT mesoporous composite demonstrated the optimizations of the strain transfer could be achieved by precise thickness control. 100 nm of mesoporous PZT was synthesized on Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si using amphiphilic diblock copolymers as a porous ferroelectric template (10 nm pore diameter) for

Morphology engineering of ZnO nanostructures for high performance supercapacitors: enhanced electrochemistry of ZnO nanocones compared to ZnO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaoli; Yoo, Joung Eun; Lee, Min Ho; Bae, Joonho

2017-06-01

In this work, the morphology of ZnO nanostructures is engineered to demonstrate enhanced supercapacitor characteristics of ZnO nanocones (NCs) compared to ZnO nanowires (NWs). ZnO NCs are obtained by chemically etching ZnO NWs. Electrochemical characteristics of ZnO NCs and NWs are extensively investigated to demonstrate morphology dependent capacitive performance of one dimensional ZnO nanostructures. Cyclic voltammetry measurements on these two kinds of electrodes in a three-electrode cell confirms that ZnO NCs exhibit a high specific capacitance of 378.5 F g-1 at a scan rate of 20 mV s-1, which is almost twice that of ZnO NWs (191.5 F g-1). The charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements also clearly result in enhanced capacitive performance of NCs as evidenced by higher specific capacitances and lower internal resistance. Asymmetric supercapacitors are fabricated using activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode and ZnO NWs and NCs as positive electrodes. The ZnO NC⫽AC can deliver a maximum specific capacitance of 126 F g-1 at a current density of 1.33 A g-1 with an energy density of 25.2 W h kg-1 at the power density of 896.44 W kg-1. In contrast, ZnO NW⫽AC displays 63% of the capacitance obtained from the ZnO NC⫽AC supercapacitor. The enhanced performance of NCs is attributed to the higher surface area of ZnO nanostructures after the morphology is altered from NWs to NCs.

W18O49 nanowires assembled on carbon felt for application to supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jinjoo; Kim, Do Hyung

2018-03-01

For supercapacitor applications, W18O49 nanowires have been extensively grown on graphitic carbon felt using a facile solvothermal method. The diameter and length of the nanowires are about 7 and 300 nm, respectively. The nanowires consist of monoclinic W18O49 grown along the [010] direction, as shown by TEM and XRD analyses. The W18O49 nanowires, assembled on carbon felt, exhibit a high capacity of 588.33 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g together with an excellent cycle performance, and a low internal resistance during the electrochemical tests. This outstanding performance may originate from the three-dimensional porous nanostructure of these W18O49 nanowires, which leads to a reduction in the resistance and fast reaction kinetics due to the high specific surface area and electrolyte accessibility. Furthermore, sufficient oxygen deficiencies of the substoichiometric tungsten oxide can also contribute to the electrochemical activity, which can be confirmed by comparison of CV and EIS data with WO3 nanowires.

Towards large-scale plasma-assisted synthesis of nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Cvelbar, U.

2011-05-01

Large quantities of nanomaterials, e.g. nanowires (NWs), are needed to overcome the high market price of nanomaterials and make nanotechnology widely available for general public use and applications to numerous devices. Therefore, there is an enormous need for new methods or routes for synthesis of those nanostructures. Here plasma technologies for synthesis of NWs, nanotubes, nanoparticles or other nanostructures might play a key role in the near future. This paper presents a three-dimensional problem of large-scale synthesis connected with the time, quantity and quality of nanostructures. Herein, four different plasma methods for NW synthesis are presented in contrast to other methods, e.g. thermal processes, chemical vapour deposition or wet chemical processes. The pros and cons are discussed in detail for the case of two metal oxides: iron oxide and zinc oxide NWs, which are important for many applications.

Wearable, wireless gas sensors using highly stretchable and transparent structures of nanowires and graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jihun; Kim, Joohee; Kim, Kukjoo; Kim, So-Yun; Cheong, Woon Hyung; Park, Kyeongmin; Song, Joo Hyeb; Namgoong, Gyeongho; Kim, Jae Joon; Heo, Jaeyeong; Bien, Franklin; Park, Jang-Ung

2016-05-01

Herein, we report the fabrication of a highly stretchable, transparent gas sensor based on silver nanowire-graphene hybrid nanostructures. Due to its superb mechanical and optical characteristics, the fabricated sensor demonstrates outstanding and stable performances even under extreme mechanical deformation (stable until 20% of strain). The integration of a Bluetooth system or an inductive antenna enables the wireless operation of the sensor. In addition, the mechanical robustness of the materials allows the device to be transferred onto various nonplanar substrates, including a watch, a bicycle light, and the leaves of live plants, thereby achieving next-generation sensing electronics for the `Internet of Things' area.Herein, we report the fabrication of a highly stretchable, transparent gas sensor based on silver nanowire-graphene hybrid nanostructures. Due to its superb mechanical and optical characteristics, the fabricated sensor demonstrates outstanding and stable performances even under extreme mechanical deformation (stable until 20% of strain). The integration of a Bluetooth system or an inductive antenna enables the wireless operation of the sensor. In addition, the mechanical robustness of the materials allows the device to be transferred onto various nonplanar substrates, including a watch, a bicycle light, and the leaves of live plants, thereby achieving next-generation sensing electronics for the `Internet of Things' area. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01468b

ZnO Nanostructures for Tissue Engineering Applications

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Marco Laurenti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on the most recent applications of zinc oxide (ZnO nanostructures for tissue engineering. ZnO is one of the most investigated metal oxides, thanks to its multifunctional properties coupled with the ease of preparing various morphologies, such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanoparticles. Most ZnO applications are based on its semiconducting, catalytic and piezoelectric properties. However, several works have highlighted that ZnO nanostructures may successfully promote the growth, proliferation and differentiation of several cell lines, in combination with the rise of promising antibacterial activities. In particular, osteogenesis and angiogenesis have been effectively demonstrated in numerous cases. Such peculiarities have been observed both for pure nanostructured ZnO scaffolds as well as for three-dimensional ZnO-based hybrid composite scaffolds, fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies. Therefore, all these findings suggest that ZnO nanostructures represent a powerful tool in promoting the acceleration of diverse biological processes, finally leading to the formation of new living tissue useful for organ repair.

The lateral In2O3 nanowires and pyramid networks manipulation by controlled substrate surface energy in annealing evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Shariati, Mohsen; Darjani, Mojtaba

2016-02-01

The continuous laterally aligned growth of In2O3 nanocrystal networks extended with nanowire and pyramid connections under annealing influence has been reported. These nanostructures have been grown on Si substrate by using oxygen-assisted annealing process through PVD growth technique. The formation of In2O3 nanocrystals has been achieved by the successive growth of critical self-nucleated condensation in three orientations. The preferred direction was the route between two pyramids especially in the smallest surface energy. The effects of substrate temperature in annealing process on the morphological properties of the as-grown nanostructures were investigated. The annealing technique showed that by controlling the surface energy, the morphology of structures was changed from unregulated array to defined nanostructures; especially nanowires 50 nm in width. The obtained nanostructures also were investigated by the (transmission electron microscopy) TEM, Raman spectrum and the (X-ray diffraction) XRD patterns. They indicated that the self-assembled In2O3 nanocrystal networks have been fabricated by the vapor-solid (VS) growth mechanism. The growth mechanism process was prompted to attribute the relationship among the kinetics parameters, surface diffusion and morphology of nanostructures.

Spontaneous formation of gold nanostructures in aqueous microdroplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae Kyoo; Samanta, Devleena; Nam, Hong Gil; Zare, Richard N

2018-04-19

The synthesis of gold nanostructures has received widespread attention owing to many important applications. We report the accelerated synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), as well as the reducing-agent-free and template-free synthesis of gold nanoparticles and nanowires in aerosol microdroplets. At first, the AuNP synthesis are carried out by fusing two aqueous microdroplet streams containing chloroauric acid and sodium borohydride. The AuNPs (~7 nm in diameter) are produced within 60 µs at the rate of 0.24 nm µs -1 . Compared to bulk solution, microdroplets enhance the size and the growth rate of AuNPs by factors of about 2.1 and 1.2 × 10 5 , respectively. Later, we find that gold nanoparticles and nanowires (~7 nm wide and >2000 nm long) are also formed in microdroplets in the absence of any added reducing agent, template, or externally applied charge. Thus, water microdroplets not only accelerate the synthesis of AuNPs by orders of magnitude, but they also cause spontaneous formation of gold nanostructures.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy-Grown InGaN Nanomushrooms and Nanowires for White Light Source Applications

KAUST Repository

Gasim, Anwar A.; Bhattacharya, Pallab K.; Cha, Dong Kyu; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.

2012-01-01

We report the observation of coexisting InGaN nanomushrooms and nanowires grown via MBE. Photoluminescence characterization shows that the nanostructures emit yellow and blue light, respectively. The combined emission is promising for white-LEDs.

Non-chemotoxic induction of cancer cell death using magnetic nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Contreras MF

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Maria F Contreras,1 Rachid Sougrat,2 Amir Zaher,3 Timothy Ravasi,1,3 Jürgen Kosel3 1Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, 2Advanced Nanofabrication Imaging and Characterization, 3Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abstract: In this paper, we show that magnetic nanowires with weak magnetic fields and low frequencies can induce cell death via a mechanism that does not involve heat production. We incubated colon cancer cells with two concentrations (2.4 and 12 µg/mL of nickel nanowires that were 35 nm in diameter and exposed the cells and nanowires to an alternating magnetic field (0.5 mT and 1 Hz or 1 kHz for 10 or 30 minutes. This low-power field exerted a force on the magnetic nanowires, causing a mechanical disturbance to the cells. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the nanostructures were internalized into the cells within 1 hour of incubation. Cell viability studies showed that the magnetic field and the nanowires separately had minor deleterious effects on the cells; however, when combined, the magnetic field and nanowires caused the cell viability values to drop by up to 39%, depending on the strength of the magnetic field and the concentration of the nanowires. Cell membrane leakage experiments indicated membrane leakage of 20%, suggesting that cell death mechanisms induced by the nanowires and magnetic field involve some cell membrane rupture. Results suggest that magnetic nanowires can kill cancer cells. The proposed process requires simple and low-cost equipment with exposure to only very weak magnetic fields for short time periods. Keywords: cell death induction, low frequency alternating magnetic field, nanomedicine, nanowire internalization, nickel nanowires

Designing Diameter-Modulated Heterostructure Nanowires of PbTe/Te by Controlled Dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Abinash; Kundu, Subhajit; Samantaray, Debadarshini; Kundu, Paromita; Zanaga, Daniele; Bals, Sara; Ravishankar, N

2017-12-13

Heterostructures consisting of semiconductors with controlled morphology and interfaces find applications in many fields. A range of axial, radial, and diameter-modulated nanostructures have been synthesized primarily using vapor phase methods. Here, we present a simple wet chemical routine to synthesize heterostructures of PbTe/Te using Te nanowires as templates. A morphology evolution study for the formation of these heterostructures has been performed. On the basis of these control experiments, a pathway for the formation of these nanostructures is proposed. Reduction of a Pb precursor to Pb on Te nanowire templates followed by interdiffusion of Pb/Te leads to the formation of a thin shell of PbTe on the Te wires. Controlled dewetting of the thin shell leads to the formation of cube-shaped PbTe that is periodically arranged on the Te wires. Using control experiments, we show that different reactions parameters like rate of addition of the reducing agent, concentration of Pb precursor and thickness of initial Te nanowire play a critical role in controlling the spacing between the PbTe cubes on the Te wires. Using simple surface energy arguments, we propose a mechanism for the formation of the hybrid. The principles presented are general and can be exploited for the synthesis of other nanoscale heterostructures.

Indium antimonide nanowires arrays for promising thermoelectric converters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gorokh G. G.

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The authors have theoretically substantiated the possibility to create promising thermoelectric converters based on quantum wires. The calculations have shown that the use of quantum wires with lateral dimensions smaller than quantum confinement values and high concentration and mobility of electrons, can lead to a substantial cooling of one of the contacts up to tens of degrees and to the heating of the other. The technological methods of manufacturing of indium antimonide nanowires arrays with high aspect ratio of the nanowire diameters to their length in the modified nanoporous anodic alumina matrixes were developed and tested. The microstructure and composition of the formed nanostructures were investigated. The electron microscopy allowed establishing that within each pore nanowires are formed with diameters of 35 nm and a length of 35 microns (equal to the matrix thickness. The electron probe x-ray microanalysis has shown that the atomic ratio of indium and antimony in the semiconductor nanostructures amounted to 38,26% and 61,74%, respectively. The current-voltage measurement between the upper and lower contacts of Cu/InSb/Cu structure (1 mm2 has shown that at 2.82 V negative voltage at the emitter contact, current density is 129,8 A/cм2, and the collector contact is heated up to 75 degrees during 150 sec. Thus, the experimental results confirmed the theoretical findings that the quantum wire systems can be used to create thermoelectric devices, which can be widely applied in electronics, in particular, for cooling integrated circuits (processors, thermal controlling of the electrical circuits by changing voltage value.

Kinetically controlled synthesis of large-scale morphology-tailored silver nanostructures at low temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Zhao, Yuda; Lin, Ziyuan; Gu, Fangyuan; Lau, Shu Ping; Li, Li; Chai, Yang

2015-08-01

Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures, which is significant to the controllable fabrication of Ag nanostructures and fundamental understanding of the growth kinetics.Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology

Microwave-assisted aqueous synthesis of ultralong ZnO nanowires: photoluminescence and photovoltaic performance for dye-sensitized solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Min, C.; Shen, X.; Sheng, W. [Jiangsu University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhenjiang (China)

2009-09-15

Ultralong ZnO nanowires were successfully prepared on a large scale by a microwave-assisted aqueous route without using any surfactant or template at relatively low temperature of 120 C. The obtained nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX). The growth mechanism and photoluminescence of the one-dimensional nanostructure, and photovoltaic performances for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) of the nanowires were discussed in detail. (orig.)

Microwave-controlled ultrafast synthesis of uniform silver nanocubes and nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Tian; Fan, Jun-Bing; Cui, Jing; Liu, Jin-Hua; Xu, Xiao-Bo; Zhu, Ming-Qiang

2011-01-01

Synthesis of well-defined silver nanostructure in terms of size and shape has been strongly motivated by the requirements to their size- and shape-dependent optical properties which achieve their practical applications ranging from biosensing to catalysis and optics. In this Letter, an ultrafast synthetic process for the well-defined Ag nanocubes and nanowires have been developed, which simply involve the microwave-mediated polyol reduction of silver nitrate in ethylene glycol by adding different amount sodium sulfide (Na2S) into the solution. The possible growth and evolution process of the Ag nanocubes and nanowires involves the microwave ultrafast nucleation and growth followed by oxidative etching of Ag nanocrystals.

Nitrogen and Fluorine-Codoped Carbon Nanowire Aerogels as Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Shaofang [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Zhu, Chengzhou [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Song, Junhua [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Engelhard, Mark H. [Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Xiao, Biwei [Energy and Environmental Directory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Du, Dan [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA; Lin, Yuehe [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 USA

2017-07-11

The development of active, durable, and low-cost catalysts to replace noble metal-based materials is highly desirable to promote the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Herein, nitrogen and fluorine-codoped three-dimensional carbon nanowire aerogels, composed of interconnected carbon nanowires, were synthesized for the first time by a hydrothermal carbonization process. Owing to their porous nanostructures and heteroatom-doping, the as-prepared carbon nanowire aerogels, with optimized composition, present excellent electrocatalytic activity that is comparable to commercial Pt/C. Remarkably, the aerogels also exhibit superior stability and methanol tolerance. This synthesis procedure paves a new way to design novel heteroatomdoped catalysts.

Laser-induced single point nanowelding of silver nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Shuowei; Li, Qiang, E-mail: qiangli@zju.edu.cn; Liu, Guoping; Yang, Hangbo; Yang, Yuanqing; Zhao, Ding; Wang, Wei; Qiu, Min, E-mail: minqiu@zju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2016-03-21

Nanowelding of nanomaterials opens up an emerging set of applications in transparent conductors, thin-film solar cells, nanocatalysis, cancer therapy, and nanoscale patterning. Single point nanowelding (SPNW) is highly demanded for building complex nanostructures. In this letter, the precise control of SPNW of silver nanowires is explored in depth, where the nanowelding is laser-induced through the plasmonic resonance enhanced photothermal effect. It is shown that the illumination position is a critical factor for the nanowelding process. As an example of performance enhancement, output at wire end can be increased by 65% after welding for a plasmonic nanocoupler. Thus, single point nanowelding technique shows great potentials for high-performance electronic and photonic devices based on nanowires, such as nanoelectronic circuits and plasmonic nanodevices.

Laser-induced single point nanowelding of silver nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Shuowei; Li, Qiang; Liu, Guoping; Yang, Hangbo; Yang, Yuanqing; Zhao, Ding; Wang, Wei; Qiu, Min

2016-01-01

Nanowelding of nanomaterials opens up an emerging set of applications in transparent conductors, thin-film solar cells, nanocatalysis, cancer therapy, and nanoscale patterning. Single point nanowelding (SPNW) is highly demanded for building complex nanostructures. In this letter, the precise control of SPNW of silver nanowires is explored in depth, where the nanowelding is laser-induced through the plasmonic resonance enhanced photothermal effect. It is shown that the illumination position is a critical factor for the nanowelding process. As an example of performance enhancement, output at wire end can be increased by 65% after welding for a plasmonic nanocoupler. Thus, single point nanowelding technique shows great potentials for high-performance electronic and photonic devices based on nanowires, such as nanoelectronic circuits and plasmonic nanodevices.

Hydrothermal growth of titania nanowires for SAW device sensing area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakaria Mohd Rosydi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Synthesis of titania or titanium dioxide (TiO2 is attracted to energy and environmental applications. Here, the growth of nanostructure TiO2 nanowires on Si (100 substrates by using the two-step method. Different seed layers of TiO2 were deposited by spin coating and annealing, followed by the growth of TiO2 nanowires by using the hydrothermal method. The sol-gel technique was used in preparing the TiO2 solution for the thin film deposition purpose. Acetic acid, hydrochloric acid and tris (2-aminoethyl amine were used as a stabilizer to synthesize three different TiO2 seed layers. The aim of this study was to understand the role of polycrystalline size on thin film towards the diameter of nanowires grown as a sensing area in Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW Biosensor. The morphology and structure of the thin film and TiO2 nanowires were characterized using X-Ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM.

Fabrication of superconducting MgB2 nanostructures by an electron beam lithography-based technique

Science.gov (United States)

Portesi, C.; Borini, S.; Amato, G.; Monticone, E.

2006-03-01

In this work, we present the results obtained in fabrication and characterization of magnesium diboride nanowires realized by an electron beam lithography (EBL)-based method. For fabricating MgB2 thin films, an all in situ technique has been used, based on the coevaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater, respectively. Since the high temperatures required for the fabrication of good quality MgB2 thin films do not allow the nanostructuring approach based on the lift-off technique, we structured the samples combining EBL, optical lithography, and Ar milling. In this way, reproducible nanowires 1 μm long have been obtained. To illustrate the impact of the MgB2 film processing on its superconducting properties, we measured the temperature dependence of the resistance on a nanowire and compared it to the original magnesium diboride film. The electrical properties of the films are not degraded as a consequence of the nanostructuring process, so that superconducting nanodevices may be obtained by this method.

A novel study of the kinetics of external hierarchical nanostructures in methanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Halhouli, M; Yurchenko, O; Urban, G; Kieninger, J

2015-01-01

For the purpose of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), this research investigates the kinetics of methanol oxidation in a porous layer consisting of external hierarchical nanostructures through 2D COMSOL simulation. Three different lengths of nanowires (L) were considered in simulations. The investigation showed that specific activity was reversely proportional to nanowires length and roughness factor (Rf). However, the current density increased by increasing Rf. Although the current density in case of L = 200 nm and 500 nm was identical with respect to Rf, there was a slight deviation when L = 1000 nm due to the changing from kinetic to diffusion controlled regime, which was identified by investigation of Thiele modulus. The catalytic efficiency for L = 1000 nm dropped to 50% at Rf = 140, whereas the high efficiency with no mass-transport limitation was achieved by shorter nanowires. Therefore, increasing Rf within the simulation range resulted in increasing the total catalytic activity but simultaneously decreasing the specific activity because of the decrease in pore accessibility and catalytic efficiency of nanostructures. (paper)

Magnetic properties of nickel nanowires decorated with cobalt nanoparticles fabricated by two step electrochemical deposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maaz, K., E-mail: maaz@impcas.ac.cn [Materials Research Center, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Nilore, 45650, Islamabad (Pakistan); Duan, J.L. [Materials Research Center, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Karim, S. [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Nilore, 45650, Islamabad (Pakistan); Chen, Y.H.; Yao, H.J.; Mo, D.; Sun, Y.M. [Materials Research Center, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China); Liu, J., E-mail: j.liu@impcas.ac.cn [Materials Research Center, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000 (China)

2016-10-01

We demonstrate fabrication and magnetic characterization of novel nanostructures composed of Ni nanowires decorated with Co nanoparticles by two step etching and electrochemical deposition in polycarbonate template. Structural analysis confirmed the formation of nickel nanowires with diameter of 62 nm which are surrounded by cobalt nanoparticles of about 15 nm in diameter. By electron microscopy analyses it is evident that the nanoparticles are distributed on the surface of the nanowires. Analysis of magnetization data indicates that ferromagnetic Ni nanowires exhibit an easy axis of magnetization parallel to the wire long-axis while the angular dependence of coercivity indicates that magnetization reversal occurs through the curling process in these nanowires. An exchange bias accompanied by vertical shift in magnetization was observed below ∼20 K, measured under a cooling field of 1 kOe, which is attributed to the spin interactions between the spin-glass like surface layer and ferromagnetic core of the nanowires and nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Co-decorated Ni nanowires were fabricated by two-step electrodeposition technique. • The nanoparticles are distributed on the surface of nanowires. • Magnetization reversal occurs through the curling process in the nanowires. • Temperature dependent coercivity follows thermal activation model.

Visual Understanding of Light Absorption and Waveguiding in Standing Nanowires with 3D Fluorescence Confocal Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Frederiksen, Rune; Tutuncuoglu, Gozde; Matteini, Federico; Martinez, Karen L; Fontcuberta I Morral, Anna; Alarcon-Llado, Esther

2017-09-20

Semiconductor nanowires are promising building blocks for next-generation photonics. Indirect proofs of large absorption cross sections have been reported in nanostructures with subwavelength diameters, an effect that is even more prominent in vertically standing nanowires. In this work we provide a three-dimensional map of the light around vertical GaAs nanowires standing on a substrate by using fluorescence confocal microscopy, where the strong long-range disruption of the light path along the nanowire is illustrated. We find that the actual long-distance perturbation is much larger in size than calculated extinction cross sections. While the size of the perturbation remains similar, the intensity of the interaction changes dramatically over the visible spectrum. Numerical simulations allow us to distinguish the effects of scattering and absorption in the nanowire leading to these phenomena. This work provides a visual understanding of light absorption in semiconductor nanowire structures, which is of high interest for solar energy conversion applications.

Localized synthesis, assembly and integration of silicon nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Englander, Ongi

Localized synthesis, assembly and integration of one-dimensional silicon nanowires with MEMS structures is demonstrated and characterized in terms of local synthesis processes, electric-field assisted self-assembly, and a proof-of-concept nanoelectromechanical system (HEMS) demonstration. Emphasis is placed on the ease of integration, process control strategies, characterization techniques and the pursuit of integrated devices. A top-down followed by a bottom-up integration approach is utilized. Simple MEMS heater structures are utilized as the microscale platforms for the localized, bottom-up synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures. Localized heating confines the high temperature region permitting only localized nanostructure synthesis and allowing the surroundings to remain at room temperature thus enabling CMOS compatible post-processing. The vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process in the presence of a catalytic nanoparticle, a vapor phase reactant, and a specific temperature environment is successfully employed locally. Experimentally, a 5nm thick gold-palladium layer is used as the catalyst while silane is the vapor phase reactant. The current-voltage behavior of the MEMS structures can be correlated to the approximate temperature range required for the VLS reaction to take place. Silicon nanowires averaging 45nm in diameter and up to 29mum in length synthesized at growth rates of up to 1.5mum/min result. By placing two MEMS structures in close proximity, 4--10mum apart, localized silicon nanowire growth can be used to link together MEMS structures to yield a two-terminal, self-assembled micro-to-nano system. Here, one MEMS structure is designated as the hot growth structure while a nearby structure is designated as the cold secondary structure, whose role is to provide a natural stopping point for the VLS reaction. The application of a localized electric-field, 5 to 13V/mum in strength, during the synthesis process, has been shown to improve nanowire

Hydrothermal synthesis of ultralong and single-crystalline Cd(OH)2 nanowires using alkali salts as mineralizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Bo; Zhuo, Linhai; Ge, Jiechao; Niu, Jinye; Shi, Zhiqiang

2005-04-18

Ultralong and single-crystalline Cd(OH)(2) nanowires were fabricated by a hydrothermal method using alkali salts as mineralizers. The morphology and size of the final products strongly depend on the effects of the alkali salts (e.g., KCl, KNO(3), and K(2)SO(4) or NaCl, NaNO(3), and Na(2)SO(4)). When the salt is absent, only nanoparticles are observed in TEM images of the products. The 1D nanostructure growth method presented herein offers an excellent tool for the design of other advanced materials with anisotropic properties. In addition, the Cd(OH)(2) nanowires might act as a template or precursor that is potentially converted into 1D cadmium oxide through dehydration or into 1D nanostructures of other functional materials (e.g., CdS, CdSe).

Ballistic Spin Field Effect Transistor Based on Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Osintsev, Dmitri; Sverdlov, Viktor; Stanojevic, Zlatan; Selberherr, Siegfried

2011-03-01

We investigate the properties of ballistic spin field-effect transistors build on silicon nanowires. An accurate description of the conduction band based on the k . p} model is necessary in thin and narrow silicon nanostructures. The subband effective mass and subband splitting dependence on the nanowire dimensions is analyzed and used in the transport calculations. The spin transistor is formed by sandwiching the nanowire between two ferromagnetic metallic contacts. Delta-function barriers at the interfaces between the contacts and the silicon channel are introduced. The major contribution to the electric field-dependent spin-orbit interaction in confined silicon systems is due to the interface-induced inversion asymmetry which is of the Dresselhaus type. We study the current and conductance through the system for the contacts being in parallel and anti-parallel configurations. Differences between the [100] and [110] orientated structures are investigated in details. This work is supported by the European Research Council through the grant #247056 MOSILSPIN.

Optical polarization properties of InAs/InP quantum dot and quantum rod nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anufriev, Roman; Bru-Chevallier, Catherine; Chauvin, Nicolas; Barakat, Jean-Baptiste; Letartre, Xavier; Gendry, Michel; Patriarche, Gilles; Harmand, Jean-Christophe

2015-01-01

The emission polarization of single InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) and quantum rod (QR) nanowires is investigated at room temperature. Whereas the emission of the QRs is mainly polarized parallel to the nanowire axis, the opposite behavior is observed for the QDs. These optical properties can be explained by a combination of dielectric effects related to the nanowire geometry and to the configuration of the valence band in the nanostructure. A theoretical model and finite difference in time domain calculations are presented to describe the impact of the nanowire and the surroundings on the optical properties of the emitter. Using this model, the intrinsic degree of linear polarization of the two types of emitters is extracted. The strong polarization anisotropies indicate a valence band mixing in the QRs but not in the QDs. (paper)

Ferromagnetism in Gd doped ZnO nanowires: A first principles study

KAUST Repository

Aravindh, S. Assa

2014-12-19

In several experimental studies, room temperature ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO nanostructures has been achieved. However, the mechanism and the origin of the ferromagnetism remain controversial. We investigate the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of Zn 48O48 nanowires doped with Gd, using density functional theory. Our findings indicate that substitutionally incorporated Gd atoms prefer occupying the surface Zn sites. Moreover, the formation energy increases with the distance between Gd atoms, signifying that no Gd-Gd segregation occurs in the nanowires within the concentration limit of ≤2%. Gd induces ferromagnetism in ZnO nanowires with magnetic coupling energy up to 21 meV in the neutral state, which increases with additional electron and O vacancy, revealing the role of carriers in magnetic exchange. The potential for achieving room temperature ferromagnetism and high TC in ZnO:Gd nanowires is evident from the large ferromagnetic coupling energy (200 meV) obtained with the O vacancy. Density of states shows that Fermi level overlaps with Gd f states with the introduction of O vacancy, indicating the possibility of s-f coupling. These results will assist in understanding experimental findings in Gd-doped ZnO nanowires.

Ferromagnetism in Gd doped ZnO nanowires: A first principles study

KAUST Repository

Aravindh, S. Assa; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Roqan, Iman S.

2014-01-01

In several experimental studies, room temperature ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO nanostructures has been achieved. However, the mechanism and the origin of the ferromagnetism remain controversial. We investigate the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of Zn 48O48 nanowires doped with Gd, using density functional theory. Our findings indicate that substitutionally incorporated Gd atoms prefer occupying the surface Zn sites. Moreover, the formation energy increases with the distance between Gd atoms, signifying that no Gd-Gd segregation occurs in the nanowires within the concentration limit of ≤2%. Gd induces ferromagnetism in ZnO nanowires with magnetic coupling energy up to 21 meV in the neutral state, which increases with additional electron and O vacancy, revealing the role of carriers in magnetic exchange. The potential for achieving room temperature ferromagnetism and high TC in ZnO:Gd nanowires is evident from the large ferromagnetic coupling energy (200 meV) obtained with the O vacancy. Density of states shows that Fermi level overlaps with Gd f states with the introduction of O vacancy, indicating the possibility of s-f coupling. These results will assist in understanding experimental findings in Gd-doped ZnO nanowires.

Testing CuO nanowires as a novel X-ray to electron converter for gas-filled radiation detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Zarei, H.; Saramad, S.; Razaghi, S.

2017-10-01

Nanowires, due to their special physical properties and also high surface to volume ratio, can have considerable applications in designing and development of novel nanodevices. For the radiation shielding, higher absorption coefficient of nanostructures in comparison to bulk ones is an advantage. In gas detectors, designing a proper converter that absorbs higher energy of gamma and X-rays and convert it to more free electrons is one of the major problems. Since the nanowires have higher surface to volume ratio in comparison to the bulk one, so it is expected that by optimizing the thickness, the generated electrons can have higher chance to escape from the surface. In this work, the random CuO nanowires with diameter of 40 nm are deposited on thin glass slide. This nanostructure with different thicknesses are tested by plastic and CsI scintillators by X-ray tube with HVs in the range of 16 to 25 kV. The results show that for the same thickness, the CuO nanowires can release electrons six times more than the bulk ones and for the same energy the optimum QE of nanoconverter can be three times greater than the bulk converter. This novel nanoconverter with higher detection efficiency can have applications in high energy physics, medical imaging and also astronomy.

In situ TEM electromechanical testing of nanowires and nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa, Horacio D; Bernal, Rodrigo A; Filleter, Tobin

2012-11-05

The emergence of one-dimensional nanostructures as fundamental constituents of advanced materials and next-generation electronic and electromechanical devices has increased the need for their atomic-scale characterization. Given its spatial and temporal resolution, coupled with analytical capabilities, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been the technique of choice in performing atomic structure and defect characterization. A number of approaches have been recently developed to combine these capabilities with in-situ mechanical deformation and electrical characterization in the emerging field of in-situ TEM electromechanical testing. This has enabled researchers to establish unambiguous synthesis-structure-property relations for one-dimensional nanostructures. In this article, the development and latest advances of several in-situ TEM techniques to carry out mechanical and electromechanical testing of nanowires and nanotubes are reviewed. Through discussion of specific examples, it is shown how the merging of several microsystems and TEM has led to significant insights into the behavior of nanowires and nanotubes, underscoring the significant role in-situ techniques play in the development of novel nanoscale systems and materials. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Growth and optical properties of CdTe quantum dots in ZnTe nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wojnar, Piotr; Janik, Elzbieta; Baczewski, Lech T.; Kret, Slawomir; Karczewski, G.; Wojtowicz, Tomasz [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Goryca, Mateusz; Kazimierczuk, Tomasz; Kossacki, Piotr [Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, ul Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland)

2011-09-12

We report on the formation of optically active CdTe quantum dots in ZnTe nanowires. The CdTe/ZnTe nanostructures have been grown by a gold nanocatalyst assisted molecular beam epitaxy in a vapor-liquid solid growth process. The presence of CdTe insertions in ZnTe nanowire results in the appearance of a strong photoluminescence band in the 2.0 eV-2.25 eV energy range. Spatially resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal that this broad emission consists of several sharp lines with the spectral width of about 2 meV. The large degree of linear polarization of these individual emission lines confirms their nanowire origin, whereas the zero-dimensional confinement is proved by photon correlation spectroscopy.

Young's Modulus of Wurtzite and Zinc Blende InP Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunaevskiy, Mikhail; Geydt, Pavel; Lähderanta, Erkki; Alekseev, Prokhor; Haggrén, Tuomas; Kakko, Joona-Pekko; Jiang, Hua; Lipsanen, Harri

2017-06-14

The Young's modulus of thin conical InP nanowires with either wurtzite or mixed "zinc blende/wurtzite" structures was measured. It has been shown that the value of Young's modulus obtained for wurtzite InP nanowires (E [0001] = 130 ± 30 GPa) was similar to the theoretically predicted value for the wurtzite InP material (E [0001] = 120 ± 10 GPa). The Young's modulus of mixed "zinc blende/wurtzite" InP nanowires (E [111] = 65 ± 10 GPa) appeared to be 40% less than the theoretically predicted value for the zinc blende InP material (E [111] = 110 GPa). An advanced method for measuring the Young's modulus of thin and flexible nanostructures is proposed. It consists of measuring the flexibility (the inverse of stiffness) profiles 1/k(x) by the scanning probe microscopy with precise control of loading force in nanonewton range followed by simulations.

Micro-‘‘factory’’ for self-assembled peptide nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castillo, Jaime; Rodriguez-Trujíllo, Romén; Gauthier, Sébastian

2011-01-01

This study describes an integrated micro ‘‘factory’’ for the preparation of biological self-assembled peptide nanotubes and nanoparticles on a polymer chip, yielding controlled growth conditions. Self-assembled peptides constitute attractive building blocks for the fabrication of biological...... nanostructures due to the mild conditions of their synthesis process. This biological material can form nanostructures in a rapid way and the synthesis method is less expensive as compared to that of carbon nanotubes or silicon nanowires. The present article thus reports on the on-chip fabrication of self-assembled...

Fabrication of Nano-Micro Hybrid Structures by Replication and Surface Treatment of Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeonho Jeong

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Nanowire structures have attracted attention in various fields, since new characteristics could be acquired in minute regions. Especially, Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO is widely used in the fabrication of nanostructures, which has many nanosized pores and well-organized nano pattern. Using AAO as a template for replication, nanowires with a very high aspect ratio can be fabricated. Herein, we propose a facile method to fabricate a nano-micro hybrid structure using nanowires replicated from AAO, and surface treatment. A polymer resin was coated between Polyethylene terephthalate (PET and the AAO filter, roller pressed, and UV-cured. After the removal of aluminum by using NaOH solution, the nanowires aggregated to form a micropattern. The resulting structure was subjected to various surface treatments to investigate the surface behavior and wettability. As opposed to reported data, UV-ozone treatment can enhance surface hydrophobicity because the UV energy affects the nanowire surface, thus altering the shape of the aggregated nanowires. The hydrophobicity of the surface could be further improved by octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS coating immediately after UV-ozone treatment. We thus demonstrated that the nano-micro hybrid structure could be formed in the middle of nanowire replication, and then, the shape and surface characteristics could be controlled by surface treatment.

Effect of Silicon Nanowire on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Characteristics

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Zahra Ostadmahmoodi Do

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Nanowires (NWs are recently used in several sensor or actuator devices to improve their ordered characteristics. Silicon nanowire (Si NW is one of the most attractive one-dimensional nanostructures semiconductors because of its unique electrical and optical properties. In this paper, silicon nanowire (Si NW, is synthesized and characterized for application in photovoltaic device. Si NWs are prepared using wet chemical etching method which is commonly used as a simple and low cost method for producing nanowires of the same substrate material. The process conditions are adjusted to find the best quality of Si NWs. Morphology of Si NWs is studied using a field emission scanning electron microscopic technique. An energy dispersive X-Ray analyzer is also used to provide elemental identification and quantitative compositional information. Subsequently, Schottky type solar cell samples are fabricated on Si and Si NWs using ITO and Ag contacts. The junction properties are calculated using I-V curves in dark condition and the solar cell I-V characteristics are obtained under incident of the standardized light of AM1.5. The results for the two mentioned Schottky solar cell samples are compared and discussed. An improvement in short circuit current and efficiency of Schottky solar cell is found when Si nanowires are employed.

The effect of thermal oxidation on the luminescence properties of nanostructured silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lijia; Sham, Tsun-Kong

2012-08-06

Herein is reported a detailed study of the luminescence properties of nanostructured Si using X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) in combination with X-ray absorption near-edge structures (XANES). P-type Si nanowires synthesized via electroless chemical etching from Si wafers of different doping levels and porous Si synthesized using electrochemical method are examined under X-ray excitation across the Si K-, L(3,2) -, and O K-edges. It is found that while as-prepared Si nanostructures are weak light emitters, intense visible luminescence is observed from thermally oxidized Si nanowires and porous Si. The luminescence mechanism of Si upon oxidation is investigated by oxidizing nanostructured Si at different temperatures. Interestingly, the two luminescence bands observed show different response with the variation of absorption coefficient upon Si and O core-electron excitation in elemental silicon and silicon oxide. A correlation between luminescence properties and electronic structures is thus established. The implications of the finding are discussed in terms of the behavior of the oxygen deficient center (OCD) and non-bridging oxygen hole center (NBOHC). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controlled Synthesis of Sb 2 O 3 Nanoparticles, Nanowires, and Nanoribbons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Sb 2 O 3 nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanoribbons have been selectively synthesized in a controlled manner under mild conditions by using CTAB as a soft template. By adopting Sb ( OH 4 − as an inorganic precursor and the concentration of CTAB as an adjusting parameter, morphologies of Sb 2 O 3 nanostructures can be selectively controlled. Typically, C CTAB <0.15 mmol favors the formation of nanoparticles (product one or short form P1; when the concentration of CATB is in the range 0.15–2.0 mmol, nanowires (P2 dominate the products; nanoribbons (P3 form above the concentration of 2.0 mmol, and when the concentration of CTAB goes further higher, treelike bundles of nanoribbons could be achieved. The method in the present study has potential advantages of easy handling, relatively low-cost, and large-scale production. The facile and large-scale synthesis of varied Sb 2 O 3 nanostructures is believed to be useful for the application of catalysis and flame retardance.

Potential of AlN nanostructures as hydrogen storage materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Sun, Qiang; Jena, Puru; Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki

2009-03-24

The capability of AlN nanostructures (nanocages, nanocones, nanotubes, and nanowires) to store hydrogen has been studied using gradient-corrected density functional theory. In contrast to bulk AlN, which has the wurtzite structure and four-fold coordination, the Al sites in AlN nanostructures are unsaturated and have two- and three-fold coordination. Each Al atom is capable of binding one H(2) molecule in quasi-molecular form, leading to 4.7 wt % hydrogen, irrespective of the topology of the nanostructures. With the exception of AlN nanotubes, energetics does not support the adsorption of additional hydrogen. The binding energies of hydrogen to these unsaturated metal sites lie in the range of 0.1-0.2 eV/H(2) and are ideal for applications under ambient thermodynamic conditions. Furthermore, these materials do not suffer from the clustering problem that often plagues metal-coated carbon nanostructures.

Silicon nanowires used as the anode of a lithium-ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prosini, Pier Paolo; Rufoloni, Alessandro; Rondino, Flaminia; Santoni, Antonino

2014-01-01

In this paper the synthesis and characterization of silicon nanowires to be used as the anode of a lithium-ion battery cell are reported. The nanowires were synthesized by CVD and characterized by SEM. The nanostructured material was used as an electrode in a lithium cell and its electrochemical properties were investigated by galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at C/10 rate as a function of the cycle number and at various rates as a function of the charge current. The electrode was then coupled with a LiFePO 4 cathode to fabricate a lithium-ion battery cell and the cell performance evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles

Multisensor system based on bisphthalocyanine nanowires for the detection of antioxidants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gay Martín, Mónica; Saja, José Antonio de; Muñoz, Raquel; Rodríguez-Méndez, María Luz

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Sensors based on LnPc 2 nanowires can be prepared by electrodeposition (EDP). ► An electronic tongue can be constructed by combining EDP sensors with a data treatment system. ► The e-tongue is able to discriminate antioxidants of interest in the food industry. ► The fast preparation and excellent performance of these nanostructured sensors is an advantage. - Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition has been used to prepare thin films based on nanowires of three lanthanoid bisphthalocyaninates (including dysprosium, gadolinium and lutetium). Nanowires of similar structural characteristics have been obtained for the three compounds by tuning the electrophoretic conditions according to the redox properties of each phthalocyanine. The three electrodes have been used to form an array of sensors that has been employed to discriminate phenolic antioxidants of interest in the food industry including caffeic, gallic, vanillic and ferulic acids. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) of the electrochemical signals has allowed a clear discrimination of the four phenols analyzed according to the number of phenolic groups attached to the structure (monophenol, diphenol or triphenol). The PCA loading plots indicate that the three electrodes bring complementary information facilitating the discrimination of the studied solutions. In addition, good correlations between the intensity of the redox processes observed in the electrodes and the concentration of phenolic compounds have been found with detection limits in the range of 10 −5 –10 −6 mol L −1 and good reproducibility. The fast preparation of these nanowires based films and their excellent performance offer a new sensing platform for the detection of antioxidants in a fast, reliable way.

In-situ magnetization/heating electron holography to study the magnetic ordering in arrays of nickel metallic nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Ortega

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Magnetic nanostructures of different size, shape, and composition possess a great potential to improve current technologies like data storage and electromagnetic sensing. In thin ferromagnetic nanowires, their magnetization behavior is dominated by the competition between magnetocrystalline anisotropy (related to the crystalline structure and shape anisotropy. In this way electron diffraction methods like precession electron diffraction (PED can be used to link the magnetic behavior observed by Electron Holography (EH with its crystallinity. Using off-axis electron holography under Lorentz conditions, we can experimentally determine the magnetization distribution over neighboring nanostructures and their diamagnetic matrix. In the case of a single row of nickel nanowires within the alumina template, the thin TEM samples showed a dominant antiferromagnetic arrangement demonstrating long-range magnetostatic interactions playing a major role.

Fabrication and simulation of single crystal p-type Si nanowire using SOI technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehzangi, Arash; Larki, Farhad; Naseri, Mahmud G.; Navasery, Manizheh; Majlis, Burhanuddin Y.; Razip Wee, Mohd F.; Halimah, M.K.; Islam, Md. Shabiul; Md Ali, Sawal H.; Saion, Elias

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Single crystal silicon nanowire is fabricated on Si on insulator substrate, using atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography and KOH + IPA chemical wet etching. • Some of major parameters in fabrication process, such as writing speed and applied voltage along with KOH etching depth are investigated, and then the I–V characteristic of Si nanowires is measured. • For better understanding of the charge transmission through the nanowire, 3D-TCAD simulation is performed to simulate the Si nanowires with the same size of the fabricated ones, and variation of majority and minority carriers, hole quasi-Fermi level and generation/recombination rate are investigated. - Abstract: Si nanowires (SiNWs) as building blocks for nanostructured materials and nanoelectronics have attracted much attention due to their major role in device fabrication. In the present work a top-down fabrication approach as atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography was performed on Si on insulator (SOI) substrate to fabricate a single crystal p-type SiNW. To draw oxide patterns on top of the SOI substrate local anodic oxidation was carried out by AFM in contact mode. After the oxidation procedure, an optimized solution of 30 wt.% KOH with 10 vol.% IPA for wet etching at 63 °C was applied to extract the nanostructure. The fabricated SiNW had 70–85 nm full width at half maximum width, 90 nm thickness and 4 μm length. The SiNW was simulated using Sentaurus 3D software with the exact same size of the fabricated device. I–V characterization of the SiNW was measured and compared with simulation results. Using simulation results variation of carrier's concentrations, valence band edge energy and recombination generation rate for different applied voltage were investigated

Fabrication and simulation of single crystal p-type Si nanowire using SOI technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dehzangi, Arash, E-mail: arashd53@hotmail.com [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Larki, Farhad [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Naseri, Mahmud G. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Malayer University, Malayer, Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Navasery, Manizheh [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Majlis, Burhanuddin Y.; Razip Wee, Mohd F. [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Halimah, M.K. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Islam, Md. Shabiul; Md Ali, Sawal H. [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Saion, Elias [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia)

2015-04-15

Highlights: • Single crystal silicon nanowire is fabricated on Si on insulator substrate, using atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography and KOH + IPA chemical wet etching. • Some of major parameters in fabrication process, such as writing speed and applied voltage along with KOH etching depth are investigated, and then the I–V characteristic of Si nanowires is measured. • For better understanding of the charge transmission through the nanowire, 3D-TCAD simulation is performed to simulate the Si nanowires with the same size of the fabricated ones, and variation of majority and minority carriers, hole quasi-Fermi level and generation/recombination rate are investigated. - Abstract: Si nanowires (SiNWs) as building blocks for nanostructured materials and nanoelectronics have attracted much attention due to their major role in device fabrication. In the present work a top-down fabrication approach as atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography was performed on Si on insulator (SOI) substrate to fabricate a single crystal p-type SiNW. To draw oxide patterns on top of the SOI substrate local anodic oxidation was carried out by AFM in contact mode. After the oxidation procedure, an optimized solution of 30 wt.% KOH with 10 vol.% IPA for wet etching at 63 °C was applied to extract the nanostructure. The fabricated SiNW had 70–85 nm full width at half maximum width, 90 nm thickness and 4 μm length. The SiNW was simulated using Sentaurus 3D software with the exact same size of the fabricated device. I–V characterization of the SiNW was measured and compared with simulation results. Using simulation results variation of carrier's concentrations, valence band edge energy and recombination generation rate for different applied voltage were investigated.

Lasing and ion beam doping of semiconductor nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geburt, Sebastian

2013-01-31

Semiconductor nanowires exhibit extraordinary optical properties like highly localized light emission, efficient waveguiding and light amplification. Even the stimulation of laser oscillations can be achieved at optical pumping, making nanowires promising for optoelectronic applications. For successful integration into future devices, three major key challenges have to be faced: (1) the understanding of the fundamental properties, (2) the modification of the emission characteristics and (3) the investigation of the efficiency-limiting factors. All key challenges are addressed in this thesis: (1) The fundamental properties of CdS nanowire have been investigated to uncover the size limits for photonic nanowire lasers. Laser oscillations were observed at room temperature and the emission characteristics were correlated to the morphology, which allowed the determination of a minimum diameter and length necessary for lasing. (2) The emission characteristics of ZnO nanowires have been successfully modified by ion beam doping with Co. The structural investigations revealed a good recovery of the ion induced damage in the crystal lattice. Optical activation of the implanted Co ions was achieved and an intense intra-3d-emission confirmed successful modification. (3) The temporal decay of excited luminescence centers strongly depends on the interplay of luminescent ions and defects, thus offering an approach to investigate the efficiency-limiting processes. Mn implanted ZnS nanowires were investigated, as the temporal decay of the incorporated Mn ions can be described by a Foerster energy transfer model modified for nanostructures. The defect concentration was varied systematically by several approaches and the model could successfully fit the transients in all cases. The emission properties of Tb implanted ZnS nanowires were investigated and the temporal decay of the intra-4f-emission could also be fitted by the model, proving its accuracy for an additional element.

Lasing and ion beam doping of semiconductor nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geburt, Sebastian

2013-01-01

Semiconductor nanowires exhibit extraordinary optical properties like highly localized light emission, efficient waveguiding and light amplification. Even the stimulation of laser oscillations can be achieved at optical pumping, making nanowires promising for optoelectronic applications. For successful integration into future devices, three major key challenges have to be faced: (1) the understanding of the fundamental properties, (2) the modification of the emission characteristics and (3) the investigation of the efficiency-limiting factors. All key challenges are addressed in this thesis: (1) The fundamental properties of CdS nanowire have been investigated to uncover the size limits for photonic nanowire lasers. Laser oscillations were observed at room temperature and the emission characteristics were correlated to the morphology, which allowed the determination of a minimum diameter and length necessary for lasing. (2) The emission characteristics of ZnO nanowires have been successfully modified by ion beam doping with Co. The structural investigations revealed a good recovery of the ion induced damage in the crystal lattice. Optical activation of the implanted Co ions was achieved and an intense intra-3d-emission confirmed successful modification. (3) The temporal decay of excited luminescence centers strongly depends on the interplay of luminescent ions and defects, thus offering an approach to investigate the efficiency-limiting processes. Mn implanted ZnS nanowires were investigated, as the temporal decay of the incorporated Mn ions can be described by a Foerster energy transfer model modified for nanostructures. The defect concentration was varied systematically by several approaches and the model could successfully fit the transients in all cases. The emission properties of Tb implanted ZnS nanowires were investigated and the temporal decay of the intra-4f-emission could also be fitted by the model, proving its accuracy for an additional element.

The ITO-capped WO3 nanowires biosensor based on field-effect transistor in label-free protein sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shariati, Mohsen

2017-01-01

The fabrication of ITO-capped WO 3 nanowires associated with their bio-sensing properties in field-effect transistor diagnostics basis as a biosensor has been reported. The bio-sensing property for manipulated nanowires elucidated that the grown nanostructures were very sensitive to protein. The ITO-capped WO 3 nanowires biosensor showed an intensive bio-sensing activity against reliable protein. Polylysine strongly charged bio-molecule was applied as model system to demonstrate the implementation of materialized biosensor. The employed sensing mechanism was 'label-free' and depended on bio-molecule's intrinsic charge. For nanowires synthesis, the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism was used. Nanowires were beyond a few hundred nanometers in lengths and around 15-20 nm in diameter, while the globe cap's size on the nanowires was around 15-25 nm. The indium tin oxide (ITO) played as catalyst in nanofabrication for WO 3 nanowires growth and had outstanding role in bio-sensing especially for bio-molecule adherence. In applied electric field presence, the fabricated device showed the great potential to enhance medical diagnostics. (orig.)

The physics of semiconductors an introduction including nanophysics and applications

CERN Document Server

Grundmann, Marius

2016-01-01

The 3rd edition of this successful textbook contains ample material for a comprehensive upper-level undergraduate or beginning graduate course, guiding readers to the point where they can choose a special topic and begin supervised research. The textbook provides a balance between essential aspects of solid-state and semiconductor physics, on the one hand, and the principles of various semiconductor devices and their applications in electronic and photonic devices, on the other. It highlights many practical aspects of semiconductors such as alloys, strain, heterostructures, nanostructures, that are necessary in modern semiconductor research but typically omitted in textbooks. Coverage also includes additional advanced topics, such as Bragg mirrors, resonators, polarized and magnetic semiconductors, nanowires, quantum dots, multi-junction solar cells, thin film transistors, carbon-based nanostructures and transparent conductive oxides. The text derives explicit formulas for many results to support better under...

Controlled Synthesis of Pt Nanowires with Ordered Large Mesopores for Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chengwei; Xu, Lianbin; Yan, Yushan; Chen, Jianfeng

2016-08-01

Catalysts for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) are at the heart of key green-energy fuel cell technology. Nanostructured Pt materials are the most popular and effective catalysts for MOR. Controlling the morphology and structure of Pt nanomaterials can provide opportunities to greatly increase their activity and stability. Ordered nanoporous Pt nanowires with controlled large mesopores (15, 30 and 45 nm) are facilely fabricated by chemical reduction deposition from dual templates using porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with silica nanospheres self-assembled in the channels. The prepared mesoporous Pt nanowires are highly active and stable electrocatalysts for MOR. The mesoporous Pt nanowires with 15 nm mesopores exhibit a large electrochemically active surface area (ECSA, 40.5 m2 g-1), a high mass activity (398 mA mg-1) and specific activity (0.98 mA cm-2), and a good If/Ib ratio (1.15), better than the other mesoporous Pt nanowires and the commercial Pt black catalyst.

Present and future applications of magnetic nanostructures grown by FEBID

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teresa, J.M. de [CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon (ICMA), Saragossa (Spain); Universidad de Zaragoza, Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Saragossa (Spain); Fernandez-Pacheco, A. [University of Cambridge, TFM Group, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge (United Kingdom)

2014-12-15

Currently, magnetic nanostructures are routinely grown by focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID). In the present article, we review the milestones produced in the topic in the past as well as the future applications of this technology. Regarding past milestones, we highlight the achievement of high-purity cobalt and iron deposits, the high lateral resolution obtained, the growth of 3D magnetic deposits, the exploration of magnetic alloys and the application of magnetic deposits for Hall sensing and in domain-wall conduit and magnetologic devices. With respect to future perspectives of the topic, we emphasize the potential role of magnetic nanostructures grown by FEBID for applications related to highly integrated 2D arrays, 3D nanowires devices, fabrication of advanced scanning-probe systems, basic studies of magnetic structures and their dynamics, small sensors (including biosensors) and new applications brought by magnetic alloys and even exchange biased systems. (orig.)

Measurement and simulation of anisotropic magnetoresistance in single GaAs/MnAs core/shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, J.; Wang, J.; Cooley, B. J.; Rench, D. W.; Samarth, N.; Paul, A.; Dellas, N. S.; Mohney, S. E.; Engel-Herbert, R.

2012-01-01

We report four probe measurements of the low field magnetoresistance (MR) in single core/shell GaAs/MnAs nanowires (NWs) synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy, demonstrating clear signatures of anisotropic magnetoresistance that track the field-dependent magnetization. A comparison with micromagnetic simulations reveals that the principal characteristics of the magnetoresistance data can be unambiguously attributed to the nanowire segments with a zinc blende GaAs core. The direct correlation between magnetoresistance, magnetization, and crystal structure provides a powerful means of characterizing individual hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor nanostructures.

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured CsPbBr3 perovskite thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Reshetnikova, A. A.; Matyushkin, L. B.; Andronov, A. A.; Sokolov, V. S.; Aleksandrova, O. A.; Moshnikov, V. A.

2017-11-01

Layer-by-layer deposition of nanostructured perovskites cesium lead halide thin films is described. The method of deposition is based on alternate immersion of the substrate in the precursor solutions or colloidal solution of nanocrystals and methyl acetate/lead nitrate solution using the device for deposition of films by SILAR and dip-coating techniques. An example of obtaining a photosensitive structure based on nanostructures of ZnO nanowires and layers of CsBbBr3 nanocrystals is also shown.

Synthesis of Cu Doped ZnO Nanostructures for Ultra Violet Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nazar Abbas SHAH

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper mainly focused on the synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures, their characterization and their ultra violet light sensing response at room temperature. Nanowires, nanobelts and nanosheets were synthesized by varying doping material copper by using vapor transport technique governed by the vapor-liquid-solid or vapor-solid mechanisms. The structural, morphological and optical characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-Ray and ultra violet visible spectroscopy techniques. Finally the ultra violet light sensing response of these nanostructures was observed by using Keithley meter. The high ultra violet photosensitivity and fast response time justifies the effective utilization of these ZnO nanostructures as ultra violet sensors in different areas.

Fabrication of silver nanowires via a β-cyclodextrin-derived soft template

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Y. Liu

2018-07-01

Full Text Available Supramolecular β-cyclodextrin (β-CD was used as a soft template for the fabrication of long silver nanowires. A novel design using self-assembled β-CD for the reduction of silver ions was studied. The concentrations of iron chloride, silver nitrate, and the template were controlling factors for the growth of the silver nanowires. Iron chloride was used to accelerate and facilitate the formation of the silver nanowires and inhibit oxidative etching. However, an excessive concentration of Fe+3 resulted in etching of the silver nanostructures. Furthermore, the silver concentration was another controlling factor. The length of the silver nanowires increased as the concentration of silver cations increased. Nevertheless, an excess concentration of silver cations formed various silver crystalline structures. In this study, the optimal ratio between iron chloride and silver nitrate was determined to be 1:13.3. A maximum length of 20 µm was achieved using a concentration of 0.23 M for the soft template. Moreover, the junction of two growing silver nanowires was observed, forming a long fused nanowire, and some significant boundaries were observed. The observed results were further confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM analyses. X-ray diffraction (XRD and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS analyses were used to indicate the presence of silver and the formation of crystalline materials.

Synthesis of In2O3 nanostructures with different morphologies as potential supercapacitor electrode materials

Science.gov (United States)

Tuzluca, Fatma Nur; Yesilbag, Yasar Ozkan; Ertugrul, Mehmet

2018-01-01

In this study performed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system, one-dimensional (1-D) single crystal indium oxide (In2O3) nanotowers, nanobouqets, nanocones, and nanowires were investigated as a candidate for a supercapacitor electrode material. These nanostructures were grown via Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) and Vapor-Solid (VS) mechanisms according to temperature differences (1000-600 °C). The morphologies, growth mechanisms and crystal structures of these 1-D single crystal In2O3 nanostructures were defined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman Spectroscopy analyses. The elemental analyses of the nanostructures were carried out by energy dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS); they gave photoluminescence (PL) spectra with 3.39, 2.65, and 1.95 eV band gap values, corresponding to 365 nm, 467 nm, and 633 wavelengths, respectively. The electrochemical performances of these 1-D single crystal In2O3 nanostructures in an aqueous electrolyte solution (1 M Na2SO4) were determined by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge Discharge (GCD) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. According to GCD measurements at 0.04 mA cm-2 current density, areal capacitance values were 10.1 mF cm-2 and 6.7 mF cm-2 for nanotowers, 12.5 mF cm-2 for nanobouquets, 4.9 mF cm-2 for nanocones, and 16.6 mF cm-2 for nanowires. The highest areal capacitance value was observed in In2O3 nanowires, which retained 66.8% of their initial areal capacitance after a 10000 charge-discharge cycle, indicating excellent cycle stability.

Mapping the Complex Morphology of Cell Interactions with Nanowire Substrates Using FIB-SEM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wierzbicki, Rafal; Købler, Carsten; Jensen, Mikkel Ravn Boye

2013-01-01

Using high resolution focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) we study the details of cell-nanostructure interactions using serial block face imaging. 3T3 Fibroblast cellular monolayers are cultured on flat glass as a control surface and on two types of nanostructured scaffold...... substrates made from silicon black (Nanograss) with low- and high nanowire density. After culturing for 72 hours the cells were fixed, heavy metal stained, embedded in resin, and processed with FIB-SEM block face imaging without removing the substrate. The sample preparation procedure, image acquisition...

Urea route to coat inorganic nanowires, carbon fibers and nanotubes by boron nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomathi, A.; Ramya Harika, M.; Rao, C.N.R.

2008-01-01

A simple route involving urea as the nitrogen source has been employed to carry out boron nitride coating on carbon fibers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes and inorganic nanowires. The process involves heating the carbon fibers and nanotubes or inorganic nanowires in a mixture of H 3 BO 3 and urea, followed by a heat treatment at 1000 deg. C in a N 2 atmosphere. We have been able to characterize the BN coating by transmission electron microscopy as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The urea decomposition route affords a simple method to coat boron nitride on one-dimensional nanostructures

Wettability control by DLC coated nanowire topography

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zihui; Meng, Fanhao; Liu, Xuanyong

2011-04-01

Here we have developed a convenient method to fabricate wettability controllable surfaces that can be applied to various nanostructured surfaces with complex shapes for different industrial needs. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were synthesized on titanium substrate with a nanowire structured surface using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D). The nanostructure of the DLC films was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and found to grow in a rippling layer-by-layer manner. Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the different bonding presented in the DLC films. To determine the wettability of the samples, water contact angles were measured and found to vary in the range of 50°-141°. The results indicated that it was critical to construct a proper surface topography for high hydrophobicity, while suitable ID/IG and sp2/sp3 ratios of the DLC films had a minor contribution. Superhydrophobicity could be achieved by further CF4 implantation on suitably structured DLC films and was attributed to the existence of fluorine. In order to maintain the nanostructure during CF4 implantation, it was favorable to pre-deposit an appropriate carbon content on the nanostructure, as a nanostructure with low carbon content would be deformed during CF4 implantation due to local accumulation of surface charge and the following discharge resulting from the low conductivity.

Towards highly sensitive strain sensing based on nanostructured materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, Dzung Viet; Nakamura, Koichi; Sugiyama, Susumu; Bui, Tung Thanh; Dau, Van Thanh; Yamada, Takeo; Hata, Kenji

2010-01-01

This paper presents our recent theoretical and experimental study of piezo-effects in nanostructured materials for highly sensitive, high resolution mechanical sensors. The piezo-effects presented here include the piezoresistive effect in a silicon nanowire (SiNW) and single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin film, as well as the piezo-optic effect in a Si photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity. Firstly, the electronic energy band structure of the silicon nanostructure is discussed and simulated by using the First-Principles Calculations method. The result showed a remarkably different energy band structure compared with that of bulk silicon. This difference in the electronic state will result in different physical, chemical, and therefore, sensing properties of silicon nanostructures. The piezoresistive effects of SiNW and SWCNT thin film were investigated experimentally. We found that, when the width of ( 110 ) p-type SiNW decreases from 500 to 35 nm, the piezoresistive effect increases by more than 60%. The longitudinal piezoresistive coefficient of SWCNT thin film was measured to be twice that of bulk p-type silicon. Finally, theoretical investigations of the piezo-optic effect in a PhC nanocavity based on Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) showed extremely high resolution strain sensing. These nanostructures were fabricated based on top-down nanofabrication technology. The achievements of this work are significant for highly sensitive, high resolution and miniaturized mechanical sensors

Effect of advanced nanowire-based targets in nanosecond laser-matter interaction (invited)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lanzalone, G., E-mail: Gaetano.Lanzalone@ct.infn.it [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95123 Catania (Italy); Università degli Studi di Enna “Kore,” Via delle Olimpiadi, 94100 Enna (Italy); Altana, C. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95123 Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università degli Studi di Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); Mascali, D.; Tudisco, S. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95123 Catania (Italy); Muoio, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95123 Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale F.S. D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina (Italy); Malferrari, L.; Odorici, F. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bologna, Viale B. Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna (Italy); Malandrino, G. [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche and INSTM UdR, Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania (Italy)

2016-02-15

An experimental campaign aiming to investigate the effects of innovative nanostructured targets based on Ag nanowires on laser energy absorption in the ns time domain has been carried out at the Laser Energy for Nuclear Science laboratory of INFN-LNS in Catania. The tested targets were realized at INFN-Bologna by anodizing aluminium sheets in order to obtain layers of porous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} of different thicknesses, on which nanowires of various metals are grown by electro-deposition with different heights. Targets were then irradiated by using a Nd:YAG laser at different pumping energies. Advanced diagnostic tools were used for characterizing the plasma plume and ion production. As compared with targets of pure Al, a huge enhancement (of almost two order of magnitude) of the X-ray flux emitted by the plasma has been observed when using the nanostructured targets, with a corresponding decrease of the “optical range” signal, pointing out that the energetic content of the laser produced plasma was remarkably increased. This analysis was furthermore confirmed from time-of-flight spectra.

Effect of advanced nanowire-based targets in nanosecond laser-matter interaction (invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzalone, G.; Altana, C.; Mascali, D.; Muoio, A.; Malferrari, L.; Odorici, F.; Malandrino, G.; Tudisco, S.

2016-02-01

An experimental campaign aiming to investigate the effects of innovative nanostructured targets based on Ag nanowires on laser energy absorption in the ns time domain has been carried out at the Laser Energy for Nuclear Science laboratory of INFN-LNS in Catania. The tested targets were realized at INFN-Bologna by anodizing aluminium sheets in order to obtain layers of porous Al2O3 of different thicknesses, on which nanowires of various metals are grown by electro-deposition with different heights. Targets were then irradiated by using a Nd:YAG laser at different pumping energies. Advanced diagnostic tools were used for characterizing the plasma plume and ion production. As compared with targets of pure Al, a huge enhancement (of almost two order of magnitude) of the X-ray flux emitted by the plasma has been observed when using the nanostructured targets, with a corresponding decrease of the "optical range" signal, pointing out that the energetic content of the laser produced plasma was remarkably increased. This analysis was furthermore confirmed from time-of-flight spectra.

Ferromagnetism in Gd doped ZnO nanowires: A first principles study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aravindh, S. Assa; Schwingenschloegl, Udo, E-mail: udo.schwingenschloegl@kaust.edu.sa, E-mail: iman.roqan@kaust.edu.sa; Roqan, Iman S., E-mail: udo.schwingenschloegl@kaust.edu.sa, E-mail: iman.roqan@kaust.edu.sa [Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900 (Saudi Arabia)

2014-12-21

In several experimental studies, room temperature ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO nanostructures has been achieved. However, the mechanism and the origin of the ferromagnetism remain controversial. We investigate the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of Zn{sub 48}O{sub 48} nanowires doped with Gd, using density functional theory. Our findings indicate that substitutionally incorporated Gd atoms prefer occupying the surface Zn sites. Moreover, the formation energy increases with the distance between Gd atoms, signifying that no Gd-Gd segregation occurs in the nanowires within the concentration limit of ≤2%. Gd induces ferromagnetism in ZnO nanowires with magnetic coupling energy up to 21 meV in the neutral state, which increases with additional electron and O vacancy, revealing the role of carriers in magnetic exchange. The potential for achieving room temperature ferromagnetism and high T{sub C} in ZnO:Gd nanowires is evident from the large ferromagnetic coupling energy (200 meV) obtained with the O vacancy. Density of states shows that Fermi level overlaps with Gd f states with the introduction of O vacancy, indicating the possibility of s-f coupling. These results will assist in understanding experimental findings in Gd-doped ZnO nanowires.

Synthesis of nano-structured materials by laser-ablation and their application to sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, T.; Suehiro, J.

2007-01-01

We describe the synthesis of nano-structured materials of ZnO and Pd by laser ablation and their applications to sensors. The synthesis of ZnO nano-wires was performed by nano-particle assisted deposition (NPAD) where nano-crystals were grown with nano-particles generated by laser-ablating a ZnO sintered target in an Ar background gas. The synthesized ZnO nano-wires were characterized with a scanning electron microscopy and the photoluminescent characteristics were examined under an excitation with the third harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser. The nano-wires with a diameter in the range from 50 to 150 nm and a length of up to 5 μm were taken out of the substrate by laser blow-off technique and/or sonication. It was confirmed that the nano-wires showed the stimulated emission under optical pumping, indicating a high quality of the crystalinity. Pd nano-particles were generated by laser-ablating a Pd plate in pure water. The transmission electron microscope observation revealed that Pd nano-particles with a diameter in the range from 3 nm to several tens of nanometers were produced. Using these nano-structured materials, we successfully fabricated sensors by the dielectrophoresis techniques. In the case of the ultraviolet photosensor, a detection sensitivity of 10 nW/cm 2 was achieved and in the case of hydrogen sensing, the response time of less than 10 s has been demonstrated with Pd nano-particles

The ITO-capped WO{sub 3} nanowires biosensor based on field-effect transistor in label-free protein sensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shariati, Mohsen [Sharif University of Technology, Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-05-15

The fabrication of ITO-capped WO{sub 3} nanowires associated with their bio-sensing properties in field-effect transistor diagnostics basis as a biosensor has been reported. The bio-sensing property for manipulated nanowires elucidated that the grown nanostructures were very sensitive to protein. The ITO-capped WO{sub 3} nanowires biosensor showed an intensive bio-sensing activity against reliable protein. Polylysine strongly charged bio-molecule was applied as model system to demonstrate the implementation of materialized biosensor. The employed sensing mechanism was 'label-free' and depended on bio-molecule's intrinsic charge. For nanowires synthesis, the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism was used. Nanowires were beyond a few hundred nanometers in lengths and around 15-20 nm in diameter, while the globe cap's size on the nanowires was around 15-25 nm. The indium tin oxide (ITO) played as catalyst in nanofabrication for WO{sub 3} nanowires growth and had outstanding role in bio-sensing especially for bio-molecule adherence. In applied electric field presence, the fabricated device showed the great potential to enhance medical diagnostics. (orig.)

Structural characterization of Fe−Pd nanowires grown by electrodeposition using an acid electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Domenichini, P. [Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Condó, A.M. [Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Centro Atómico Bariloche, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Haberkorn, N., E-mail: nhaberk@cab.cnea.gov.ar [Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Centro Atómico Bariloche, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. Bustillo 9500, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina)

2016-07-01

Fe{sub 70}Pd{sub 30} nanostructures have potential application in actuators due to their conventional and magnetic shape memory. Here, we report the microstructure of electrodeposition grown Fe−Pd nanowires in which the process was confined to polycarbonate membranes with a nominal pore diameter of 200 nm. We used an acid electrolyte (pH ≈ 5) in which the solution was stabilized with sulfosalicylic acid. The average chemical concentration of the nanowires can be systematically shifted from rich palladium to rich iron by changing the growth potential. The study of the microstructure by transmission electron microscopy indicates high chemical inhomogeneities due to phase coexistence between rich palladium regions (with FCC structure) and rich iron regions. The latter present a combination of BCC and amorphous phases. The average chemical composition of the nanowires can be better adjusted by using a low frequency square wave voltage excitation (alternating rich Pd and rich Fe regions). However, independently of the growth process, the nanowires morphology collapses after thermal annealing. This could be ascribed to fragile grain boundaries due to the presence of amorphous hydroxides and chemical impurities produced during the electrochemical process. - Highlights: • Synthesis of Fe−Pd nanowires by electrodeposition is reported. • Structural characterization of the nanowires by transmission electron microscopy. • The synthesis of nanowires with austenitic phase is limited by fragile grain boundaries.

Controllable synthesis of SnO2 nanowires and nanobelts by Ga catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Xing; Shao Zhibin; Yang Qianhui; Shen Xiaoshuang; Zhu Wei; Hong Xun; Wang Guanzhong

2012-01-01

We report the morphology control of one-dimensional (1D) SnO 2 nanostructures by Ga catalysts using thermal evaporation method. Gallium (Ga), either from decomposition of GaN powder or from Ga metal, is adopted as a catalyst for the growth of long SnO 2 nanowires and nanobelts. At similar experimental conditions, quantities of nanobelts are formed instead of nanowires when the temperature and reaction time are increased. Such approach enables us to synthesize various morphologies of SnO 2 nanobelts with different side facets. Novel nanobelts with [0 0 1] growth direction with high energy side facets are obtained for the first time, which is attributed to the large amount of oxygen vacancies introduced in the nanobelts by the Ga catalysts. - Graphical abstract: Morphology control of one-dimensional SnO 2 nanostructures are realized via a thermal evaporation method. Novel nanobelts along [0 0 1] direction having high energy side facets were fabricated for the first time. Highlights: ► Morphology control of one-dimensional SnO 2 nanostructures are realized by Ga catalysts using thermal evaporation method. ► Oxygen vacancies influenced the growth directions in order to neutralize thermodynamic instability. ► Novel nanobelts with [0 0 1] growth direction with high energy side facets are obtained for the first time.

Magnetization pinning in modulated nanowires: from topological protection to the "corkscrew" mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Roldan, Jose Angel; Perez Del Real, Rafael; Bran, Cristina; Vazquez, Manuel; Chubykalo-Fesenko, Oksana

2018-03-29

Diameter-modulated nanowires offer an important paradigm to design the magnetization response of 3D magnetic nanostructures by engineering the domain wall pinning. With the aim to understand its nature and to control the process, we analyze the magnetization response in FeCo periodically modulated polycrystalline nanowires varying the minor segment diameter. Our modelling indicates a very complex behavior with a strong dependence on the disorder distribution and an important role of topologically non-trivial magnetization structures. We demonstrate that modulated nanowires with a small diameter difference are characterized by an increased coercive field in comparison to the straight ones, which is explained by a formation of topologically protected walls formed by two 3D skyrmions with opposite chiralities. For a large diameter difference we report the occurrence of a novel pinning type called here the "corkscrew": the magnetization of the large diameter segment forms a skyrmion tube with a core position in a helical modulation along the nanowire. This structure is pinned at the constriction and in order to penetrate the narrow segments the vortex/skyrmion core size should be reduced.

Radial composition of single InGaN nanowires: a combined study by EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Gomez, M.; Garro, N.; Cantarero, A.; Segura-Ruiz, J.; Martinez-Criado, G.; Chu, M.H.; Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A.

2013-01-01

The radial alloy distribution of In x Ga 1-x N nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated by three different techniques with nanometric spatial resolution and capability to study single nanowires. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy radial line-scans revealed a gradient in the alloy composition of individual nanowires. Resonant Raman scattering and spatially resolved X-ray diffraction showed the existence of three distinctive regions with different alloy composition. The combination of the three techniques provides robust evidence of the spontaneous formation of a core-shell structure with a thin Ga-richer shell wrapping an In-rich core at the bottom part of the nanowires. This composition-modulated nanostructure offers an attractive way to explore new device concepts in fully epitaxial nanowire-based solar cells. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Tunable UV- and Visible-Light Photoresponse Based on p-ZnO Nanostructures/n-ZnO/Glass Peppered with Au Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Cheng-Liang; Lin, Yu-Hong; Wang, Liang-Kai; Hsueh, Ting-Jen; Chang, Sheng-Po; Chang, Shoou-Jinn

2017-05-03

UV- and visible-light photoresponse was achieved via p-type K-doped ZnO nanowires and nanosheets that were hydrothermally synthesized on an n-ZnO/glass substrate and peppered with Au nanoparticles. The K content of the p-ZnO nanostructures was 0.36 atom %. The UV- and visible-light photoresponse of the p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO sample was roughly 2 times higher than that of the ZnO nanowires. The Au nanoparticles of various densities and diameter sizes were deposited on the p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO samples by a simple UV photochemical reaction method yielding a tunable and enhanced UV- and visible-light photoresponse. The maximum UV and visible photoresponse of the Au nanoparticle sample was obtained when the diameter size of the Au nanoparticle was approximately 5-35 nm. On the basis of the localized surface plasmon resonance effect, the UV, blue, and green photocurrent/dark current ratios of Au nanoparticle/p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO are ∼1165, ∼94.6, and ∼9.7, respectively.

High thermoelectric properties of (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays by tilt-structure engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Ming; Hao, Yanming; Deng, Yuan; Chen, Jingyi

2018-06-01

In this paper, we present an innovative tilt-structure design concept for (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array assembled by high-quality nanowires with well oriented growth, utilizing a simple vacuum thermal evaporation technique. The unusual tilt-structure (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array with a tilted angle of 45° exhibits a high thermoelectric dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT = 1.72 at room temperature. The relatively high ZT value in contrast to that of previously reported (Sb, Bi)2Te3 materials and the vertical (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays evidently reveals the crucial role of the unique tilt-structure in favorably influencing carrier and phonon transport properties, resulting in a significantly improved ZT value. The transport mechanism of such tilt-structure is proposed and investigated. This method opens a new approach to optimize nano-structure in thin films for next-generation thermoelectric materials and devices.

Architecting boron nanostructure on the diamond particle surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, H.; Dai, D.; Yu, J.H.; Nishimura, K.; Sasaoka, S.; Jiang, N.

2014-01-01

The present study provides an efficient approach for nano-functionalization of diamond powders. Boron nanostructure can be grown on diamond particle entire surface by a simple heat-treatment process. After treatment, various boron nanoforms were grown on the diamond particle surface at different processing temperature. High-density boron nanowires (BNWs) grow on the diamond particle entire surface at 1333 K, while nanopillars cover diamond powders when the heat treatment process is performed at 1393 K. The influence of the pretreatment temperature on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of Cu/diamond composites were investigated. Cu/diamond composites with high thermal conductivity of 670 W (m K) −1 was obtained, which was achieved by the formation of large number of nanowires and nanopillars on the diamond particle surface.

Interconnected TiO2 Nanowire Networks for PbS Quantum Dot Solar Cell Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Xu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We present a simple method for the fabrication of an interconnected porous TiO2 nanostructured film via dip coating in a colloidal suspension of ultrathin TiO2 nanowires followed by high-temperature annealing. The spheroidization of the nanowires and the fusing of the loosely packed nanowire films at the contact points lead to the formation of nanopores. Using this interconnected TiO2 nanowire network for electron transport, a PbS/TiO2 heterojunction solar cell with a large short-circuit current of 2.5 mA/cm2, a Voc of 0.6 V, and a power conversion efficiency of 5.4% is achieved under 8.5 mW/cm2 white light illumination. Compared to conventional planar TiO2 film structures, these results suggest superior electron transport properties while still providing the large interfacial area between PbS quantum dots and TiO2 required for efficient exciton dissociation.

Simulataneous Formation of InGaN Nanostructures with Varying Shapes for White Light Source Applications

KAUST Repository

Gasim, Anwar A.; Bhattacharya, Pallab K.; Cha, Dong Kyu; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.

2012-01-01

Varying shapes of InGaN nanostructures were simultaneously formed on silicon epitaxially. The nanowires and nanomushrooms emit violet-blue light, and broad yellow-orange-red luminescence, respectively. The combination of which is promising for white light emission.

Hydrogenated CoOx nanowire@Ni(OH)2 nanosheet core-shell nanostructures for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jianxiao; Huang, Lei; Xiao, Yuxiu; Shen, Leo; Chen, Qi; Shi, Wangzhou

2014-05-01

We report a facile strategy to prepare 3D core-shell nanowire heterostructures with microporous hydrogenated CoOx (H-CoOx) nanowires as the conducting scaffold to support Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the H-CoOx nanowire core to provide the effective pathway for charge transport and the core-shell heterostructures with synergistic effects, the H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowire electrode achieved the specific capacitance of 2196 F g-1 (areal capacitance of 5.73 F cm-2), which is approximately a 1.4-fold enhancement compared with the Co3O4@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowires. An aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was fabricated by using H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 nanowires as the positive electrode and reduced graphene oxide @Fe3O4 nanocomposites as the negative electrode. The ASCs achieved high energy density (~45.3 W h kg-1 at 1010 W kg-1), high power density (~7080 W kg-1 at 23.4 W h kg-1) and high cycling stability. Furthermore, after charging for ~1 min, one such 22 cm2 ASC device demonstrated to be able to drive a small windmill (0.8 V, 0.1 W) for 20 min. Two such ASCs connected in series can power up a seven-color LED (3.2 V) efficiently.We report a facile strategy to prepare 3D core-shell nanowire heterostructures with microporous hydrogenated CoOx (H-CoOx) nanowires as the conducting scaffold to support Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the H-CoOx nanowire core to provide the effective pathway for charge transport and the core-shell heterostructures with synergistic effects, the H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowire electrode achieved the specific capacitance of 2196 F g-1 (areal capacitance of 5.73 F cm-2), which is approximately a 1.4-fold enhancement compared with the Co3O4@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowires. An aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was fabricated by using H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 nanowires as the positive electrode and reduced graphene oxide @Fe3O4 nanocomposites as the negative electrode. The ASCs achieved high energy density (~45.3 W h kg-1 at

Fabrication of Two-Dimensional Arrays of Diameter-Tunable PS-b-P2VP Nanowires at the Air/Water Interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xingjuan; Yu, Xiaoli; Lee, Yong-Ill; Liu, Hong-Guo

2016-11-15

Composite thin films with well-defined and parallel nanowires were fabricated from the binary blends of a diblock copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) and several homopolystyrenes (h-PSs) at the air/liquid interface through a facile technique, which involves solution self-assembly, interface adsorption, and further self-organization processes. It was confirmed that the nanowires that appeared at the air/water interface came from the cylindrical micelles formed in solution. Interestingly, the diameters of the nanowires are uniform and can be tuned precisely from 45 to 247 nm by incorporating the h-PS molecules into the micellar core. This parallel alignment of the nanowires has potential applications in optical devices and enables the nanowires to be used as templates to prepare functional nanostructures. The extent to which h-PS molecules with different molecular weights are able to influence the diameter control of the nanowires was also systematically investigated.

Nickel Nanowire@Porous NiCo2O4 Nanorods Arrays Grown on Nickel Foam as Efficient Pseudocapacitor Electrode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Houzhao Wan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A three dimensional hierarchical nanostructure composed of nickel nanowires and porous NiCo2O4 nanorods arrays on the surface of nickel foam is successfully fabricated by a facile route. In this structure, the nickel nanowires are used as core materials to support high-pseudocapacitance NiCo2O4 nanorods and construct the well-defined NiCo2O4 nanorods shell/nickel nanowires core hierarchical structure on nickel foam. Benefiting from the participation of nickel nanowires, the nickel nanowire@NiCo2O4/Ni foam electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance (7.4 F cm−2 at 5 mA cm−2, excellent rate capability (88.04% retained at 100 mA cm−2, and good cycling stability (74.08% retained after 1,500 cycles. The superior electrochemical properties made it promising as electrode for supercapacitors.

Structural and optical properties of silicon-carbide nanowires produced by the high-temperature carbonization of silicon nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlikov, A. V., E-mail: pavlikov@physics.msu.ru [Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics (Russian Federation); Latukhina, N. V.; Chepurnov, V. I. [Samara National Researh University (Russian Federation); Timoshenko, V. Yu. [Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

Silicon-carbide (SiC) nanowire structures 40–50 nm in diameter are produced by the high-temperature carbonization of porous silicon and silicon nanowires. The SiC nanowires are studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and infrared reflectance spectroscopy. The X-ray structural and Raman data suggest that the cubic 3C-SiC polytype is dominant in the samples under study. The shape of the infrared reflectance spectrum in the region of the reststrahlen band 800–900 cm{sup –1} is indicative of the presence of free charge carriers. The possibility of using SiC nanowires in microelectronic, photonic, and gas-sensing devices is discussed.

Broad spectral photocurrent enhancement in Au-decorated CdSe nanowires

KAUST Repository

Chakraborty, Ritun; Greullet, Fanny; George, Chandramohan; Baranov, Dmitry; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Krahne, Roman

2013-01-01

Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanostructures promise improved photoconductive performance due to plasmonic properties of the metal portions and intrinsic electric fields at the metal-semiconductor interface that possibly enhance charge separation. Here we report gold decorated CdSe nanowires as a novel functional material and investigate the influence of gold decoration on the lateral facets on the photoconductive properties. Gold decorated nanowires show typically an at least ten-fold higher photocurrent as compared to their bare counterparts. Interestingly, the photocurrent enhancement is wavelength independent, although the plasmon resonance related to the gold particles appears in the absorption spectra. Our experiments show that light scattering and Schottky fields associated with the metal-semiconductor interface are at the origin of the photocurrent enhancement. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Novel nanostructured materials for high energy density supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, C.Z.; Zhang, X.G. [Nanjing Univ. of Aeronautics and Astronautics (China). College of Material Science and Engineering

2010-07-01

Researchers are currently examining methods of improving energy density while not sacrificing the high power density of supercapacitors. In this study, nanostructured materials assembled from nanometer-sized building blocks with mesoporosity were synthesized in order investigate diffusion time, kinetics, and capacitances. Petal-like cobalt hydroxide Co(OH){sub 2} mesocrystals, urchin-like Co(OH){sub 2} and dicobalt tetroxide (Co{sub 2}O{sub 4}) ordered arrays as well as N{sub i}O microspheres were assembled from 0-D nanoparticles, 1-D mesoporous nanowires and nanobelts, and 2-D mesoporous nanopetals. The study showed that all the synthesized nanostructured materials delivered larger energy densities while showing electrochemical stability at high rates.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-07-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm2) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-01-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm 2 ) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Fabrication of isolated platinum nanowire gratings and nanoparticles on silica substrate by femtosecond laser irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, Yasutaka [School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223- 8522 (Japan); Nedyalkov, Nikolay [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko shouse 72, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522 (Japan); Takami, Akihiro [School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223- 8522 (Japan); Terakawa, Mitsuhiro, E-mail: terakawa@elec.keio.ac.jp [School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223- 8522 (Japan); Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522 (Japan)

2017-02-01

Highlights: • Formation of HSFL with periodicities shorter than 100 nm. • Structural evolution from platinum nanowire gratings to platinum nanoparticles only by increasing the number of pulses. • Melting and fragmentation of the nanowire gratings would play a key role in structural evolution. - Abstract: We demonstrate the fabrication of isolated platinum nanostructures on a silica substrate by using femtosecond laser. Nanowire gratings which have short periodicities of approximately 50 nm were formed by irradiating a platinum thin film deposited on a fused silica substrate with 800-nm wavelength femtosecond laser pulses. The structural evolution from the nanowire gratings to nanoparticles was observed only by increasing the number of pulses. The periodicities or diameters of the structures showed good uniformity. Scanning electron microscopy of the surfaces and theoretical calculation of temperature profile using a two-temperature model revealed that the structural evolution can be attributed to the fragmentation of the formed nanowires. The presented method provides a simple and high-throughput technique for fabricating both metal nanowire gratings and nanoparticles, which have the potential to be used for the fabrication of optical, electrical and biomedical devices.

Facile conversion of bulk metal surface to metal oxide single-crystalline nanostructures by microwave irradiation: Formation of pure or Cr-doped hematite nanostructure arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seungho; Jeong, Haeyoon; Lee, Kun-Hong

2010-01-01

We report a method for converting the surfaces of bulk metal substrates (pure iron or stainless steel) to metal oxide (hematite or Cr-doped hematite) nanostructures using microwave irradiation. When microwave radiation (2.45 GHz, single-mode) was applied to a metal substrate under the flow of a gas mixture containing O 2 and Ar, metal oxide nanostructures formed and entirely covered the substrate. The nanostructures were single crystalline, and the atomic ratios of the substrate metals were preserved in the nanostructures. When a pure iron sheet was used as a substrate, hematite nanowires (1000 W microwave radiation) or nanosheets (1800 W microwave radiation) formed on the surface of the substrate. When a SUS410 sheet was used as a substrate, slightly curved rod-like nanostructures were synthesized. The oxidation states of Fe and Cr in these nanorods were Fe 3+ and Cr 3+ . Quantitative analyses revealed an average Fe/Cr atomic ratio of 9.2, nearly identical to the ratio of the metals in the SUS410 substrate.

Antibacterial activity of single crystalline silver-doped anatase TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiangyu, E-mail: zhangxiangyu@tyut.edu.cn; Li, Meng; He, Xiaojing; Hang, Ruiqiang; Huang, Xiaobo; Wang, Yueyue; Yao, Xiaohong; Tang, Bin, E-mail: tangbin@tyut.edu.cn

2016-05-30

Graphical abstract: The silver-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays on titanium foil substrate were synthesized via a two-step process. It includes: deposition of AgTi films on titanium foil by magnetron sputtering; preparation of AgNW arrays on AgTi films via alkali (NaOH) hydrothermal treatment and ion-exchange with HCl, followed by calcinations. - Highlights: • Ag-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have been prepared by a duplex-treatment. • The duplex-treatment consisted of magnetron sputtering and hydrothermal growth. • Ag-doped nanowire arrays show excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli. - Abstract: Well-ordered, one-dimensional silver-doped anatase TiO{sub 2} nanowire (AgNW) arrays have been prepared through a hydrothermal growth process on the sputtering-deposited AgTi layers. Electron microscope analyses reveal that the as-synthesized AgNW arrays exhibit a single crystalline phase with highly uniform morphologies, diameters ranging from 85 to 95 nm, and lengths of about 11 μm. Silver is found to be doped into TiO{sub 2} nanowire evenly and mainly exists in the zerovalent state. The AgNW arrays show excellent efficient antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli), and all of the bacteria can be killed within 1 h. Additionally, the AgNW arrays can still kill E. coli after immersion for 60 days, suggesting the long-term antibacterial property. The technique reported here is environmental friendly for formation of silver-containing nanostructure without using any toxic organic solvents.

Schottky nanocontact of one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures probed by using conductive atomic force microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung Ah; Rok Lim, Young; Jung, Chan Su; Choi, Jun Hee; Im, Hyung Soon; Park, Kidong; Park, Jeunghee; Kim, Gyu Tae

2016-10-01

To develop the advanced electronic devices, the surface/interface of each component must be carefully considered. Here, we investigate the electrical properties of metal-semiconductor nanoscale junction using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). Single-crystalline CdS, CdSe, and ZnO one-dimensional nanostructures are synthesized via chemical vapor transport, and individual nanobelts (or nanowires) are used to fabricate nanojunction electrodes. The current-voltage (I -V) curves are obtained by placing a C-AFM metal (PtIr) tip as a movable contact on the nanobelt (or nanowire), and often exhibit a resistive switching behavior that is rationalized by the Schottky (high resistance state) and ohmic (low resistance state) contacts between the metal and semiconductor. We obtain the Schottky barrier height and the ideality factor through fitting analysis of the I-V curves. The present nanojunction devices exhibit a lower Schottky barrier height and a higher ideality factor than those of the bulk materials, which is consistent with the findings of previous works on nanostructures. It is shown that C-AFM is a powerful tool for characterization of the Schottky contact of conducting channels between semiconductor nanostructures and metal electrodes.

Formation of titanate nanostructures under different NaOH concentration and their application in wastewater treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Jiquan; Cao Yongge; Deng Zhonghua; Tong Hao

2011-01-01

The effects of the concentration of NaOH on the formation and transformation of various titanate nanostructures were studied. With increasing NaOH concentration, three different formation mechanisms were proposed. Nanotubes can only be obtained under moderate NaOH conditions, and should transform into nanowires with prolonged hydrothermal treatment, and their formation rate is accelerated by increasing NaOH concentration. Low concentration of NaOH results in the direct formation of nanowires, while extra high concentration of NaOH leads to the formation of amorphous nanoparticles. Adsorption and photocatalysis studies show that titanate nanowires and nanotubes might be potential adsorbents for the removal of both heavy metal ions and dyes and photocatalysts for the removal of dyes from wastewater. -- Graphical abstract: The morphologies of the titanates depend deeply on the concentration of NaOH. With increasing NaOH concentration, three different formation mechanisms were proposed. The application of these titanate nanostructures in the wastewater treatment was studied. Display Omitted Research highlights: → Effect of NaOH concentration on the structures of various titanates was reported. → Three different formation mechanisms were presented with increasing NaOH concentration. → Various titanates were used as adsorbents/photocatalysts in wastewater treatment.

Dimensional effects in semiconductor nanowires; Dimensionseffekte in Halbleiternanodraehten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stichtenoth, Daniel

2008-06-23

Nanomaterials show new physical properties, which are determined by their size and morphology. These new properties can be ascribed to the higher surface to volume ratio, to quantum size effects or to a form anisotropy. They may enable new technologies. The nanowires studied in this work have a diameter of 4 to 400 nm and a length up to 100 {mu}m. The semiconductor material used is mainly zinc oxide (ZnO), zinc sulfide (ZnS) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). All nanowires were synthesized according to the vapor liquid solid mechanism, which was originally postulated for the growth of silicon whiskers. Respective modifications for the growth of compound semiconductor nanowires are discussed. Detailed luminescence studies on ZnO nanowires with different diameters show pronounced size effects which can be attributed to the origins given above. Similar to bulk material, a tuning of the material properties is often essential for a further functionalization of the nanowires. This is typical realized by doping the source material. It becomes apparent, that a controlled doping of nanowires during the growth process is not successful. Here an alternative method is chosen: the doping after the growth by ion implantation. However, the doping by ion implantation goes always along with the creation of crystal defects. The defects have to be annihilated in order to reach an activation of th introduced dopants. At high ion fluences and ion masses the sputtering of surface atoms becomes more important. This results in a characteristic change in the morphology of the nanowires. In detail, the doping of ZnO and ZnS nanowires with color centers (manganese and rare earth elements) is demonstrated. Especially, the intra 3d luminescence of manganese implanted ZnS nanostructures shows a strong dependence of the nanowire diameter and morphology. This dependence can be described by expanding Foersters model (which describes an energy transfer to the color centers) by a dimensional parameter

Transmission XMCD-PEEM imaging of an engineered vertical FEBID cobalt nanowire with a domain wall

Science.gov (United States)

Wartelle, A.; Pablo-Navarro, J.; Staňo, M.; Bochmann, S.; Pairis, S.; Rioult, M.; Thirion, C.; Belkhou, R.; de Teresa, J. M.; Magén, C.; Fruchart, O.

2018-01-01

Using focused electron-beam-induced deposition, we fabricate a vertical, platinum-coated cobalt nanowire with a controlled three-dimensional structure. The latter is engineered to feature bends along the height: these are used as pinning sites for domain walls, which are obtained at remanence after saturation of the nanostructure in a horizontally applied magnetic field. The presence of domain walls is investigated using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) coupled to photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM). The vertical geometry of our sample combined with the low incidence of the x-ray beam produce an extended wire shadow which we use to recover the wire’s magnetic configuration. In this transmission configuration, the whole sample volume is probed, thus circumventing the limitation of PEEM to surfaces. This article reports on the first study of magnetic nanostructures standing perpendicular to the substrate with XMCD-PEEM. The use of this technique in shadow mode enabled us to confirm the presence of a domain wall without direct imaging of the nanowire.

Vibration of Piezoelectric Nanowires Including Surface Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Ansari

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, surface and piezoelectric effects on the vibration behavior of nanowires (NWs are investigated by using a Timoshenko beam model. The electric field equations and the governing equations of motion for the piezoelectric NWs are derived with the consideration of surface effects. By the exact solution of the governing equations, an expression for the natural frequencies of NWs with simply-supported boundary conditions is obtained. The effects of piezoelectricity and surface effects on the vibrational behavior of Timoshenko NWs are graphically illustrated. A comparison is also made between the predictions of Timoshenko beam model and those of its Euler-Bernoulli counterpart. Additionally, the present results are validated through comparison with the available data in the literature.

Fabrication, Characterization, Properties, and Applications of Low-Dimensional BiFeO3 Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heng Wu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Low-dimensional BiFeO3 nanostructures (e.g., nanocrystals, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoislands have received considerable attention due to their novel size-dependent properties and outstanding multiferroic properties at room temperature. In recent years, much progress has been made both in fabrications and (microstructural, electrical, and magnetic in characterizations of BiFeO3 low-dimensional nanostructures. An overview of the state of art in BiFeO3 low-dimensional nanostructures is presented. First, we review the fabrications of high-quality BiFeO3 low-dimensional nanostructures via a variety of techniques, and then the structural characterizations and physical properties of the BiFeO3 low-dimensional nanostructures are summarized. Their potential applications in the next-generation magnetoelectric random access memories and photovoltaic devices are also discussed. Finally, we conclude this review by providing our perspectives to the future researches of BiFeO3 low-dimensional nanostructures and some key problems are also outlined.

Direct observation of shear piezoelectricity in poly-l-lactic acid nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Smith

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Piezoelectric polymers are capable of interconverting mechanical and electrical energy, and are therefore candidate materials for biomedical applications such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. In particular, nanowires of these materials are attractive as they can be unclamped, flexible and sensitive to small vibrations. Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA nanowires have been investigated for their use in biological applications, but their piezoelectric properties have never been fully characterised, even though macroscopic films and fibres have been shown to exhibit shear piezoelectricity. This piezoelectric mode is particularly interesting for in vivo applications where shear forces are especially relevant, and is similar to what has been observed in natural materials such as bone and DNA. Here, using piezo-response force microscopy (PFM, we report the first direct observation of shear piezoelectricity in highly crystalline and oriented PLLA nanowires grown by a novel template-wetting method. Our results are validated using finite-element simulations and numerical analysis, which importantly and more generally allow for accurate interpretation of PFM signals in soft nanostructured materials. Our work opens up the possibility for the development of biocompatible and sustainable piezoelectric nanogenerators and sensors based on polymer nanowires.

Direct observation of shear piezoelectricity in poly-l-lactic acid nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Michael; Calahorra, Yonatan; Jing, Qingshen; Kar-Narayan, Sohini

2017-07-01

Piezoelectric polymers are capable of interconverting mechanical and electrical energy, and are therefore candidate materials for biomedical applications such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. In particular, nanowires of these materials are attractive as they can be unclamped, flexible and sensitive to small vibrations. Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) nanowires have been investigated for their use in biological applications, but their piezoelectric properties have never been fully characterised, even though macroscopic films and fibres have been shown to exhibit shear piezoelectricity. This piezoelectric mode is particularly interesting for in vivo applications where shear forces are especially relevant, and is similar to what has been observed in natural materials such as bone and DNA. Here, using piezo-response force microscopy (PFM), we report the first direct observation of shear piezoelectricity in highly crystalline and oriented PLLA nanowires grown by a novel template-wetting method. Our results are validated using finite-element simulations and numerical analysis, which importantly and more generally allow for accurate interpretation of PFM signals in soft nanostructured materials. Our work opens up the possibility for the development of biocompatible and sustainable piezoelectric nanogenerators and sensors based on polymer nanowires.

Magnetic nanowires (Fe, Fe-Co, Fe-Ni – magnetic moment reorientation in respect of wires composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalska-Szostko Beata

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Magnetic nanowires of Fe, Fe-Co, and Fe-Ni alloy and layered structure were prepared by electrochemical alternating current (AC deposition method. The morphology of the nanowires in and without the matrix was studied by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD, respectively. The wires either show strong dependence on the combination of elements deposition (alloy or layered or chemical composition (Co or Ni. The magnetic properties of the nanostructures were determined on the basis of Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS.

Simulation of thermal stress and buckling instability in Si/Ge and Ge/Si core/shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Suvankar; Moitra, Amitava; Bhattacharya, Mishreyee; Dutta, Amlan

2015-01-01

The present study employs the method of atomistic simulation to estimate the thermal stress experienced by Si/Ge and Ge/Si, ultrathin, core/shell nanowires with fixed ends. The underlying technique involves the computation of Young's modulus and the linear coefficient of thermal expansion through separate simulations. These two material parameters are combined to obtain the thermal stress on the nanowires. In addition, the thermally induced stress is perceived in the context of buckling instability. The analysis provides a trade-off between the geometrical and operational parameters of the nanostructures. The proposed methodology can be extended to other materials and structures and helps with the prediction of the conditions under which a nanowire-based device might possibly fail due to elastic instability.

Radiative Heat Transfer with Nanowire/Nanohole Metamaterials for Thermal Energy Harvesting Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jui-Yung

Recently, nanostructured metamaterials have attracted lots of attentions due to its tunable artificial properties. In particular, nanowire/nanohole based metamaterials which are known of the capability of large area fabrication were intensively studied. Most of the studies are only based on the electrical responses of the metamaterials; however, magnetic response, is usually neglected since magnetic material does not exist naturally within the visible or infrared range. For the past few years, artificial magnetic response from nanostructure based metamaterials has been proposed. This reveals the possibility of exciting resonance modes based on magnetic responses in nanowire/nanohole metamaterials which can potentially provide additional enhancement on radiative transport. On the other hand, beyond classical far-field radiative heat transfer, near-field radiation which is known of exceeding the Planck's blackbody limit has also become a hot topic in the field. This PhD dissertation aims to obtain a deep fundamental understanding of nanowire/nanohole based metamaterials in both far-field and near-field in terms of both electrical and magnetic responses. The underlying mechanisms that can be excited by nanowire/nanohole metamaterials such as electrical surface plasmon polariton, magnetic hyperbolic mode, magnetic polariton, etc., will be theoretically studied in both far-field and near-field. Furthermore, other than conventional effective medium theory which only considers the electrical response of metamaterials, the artificial magnetic response of metamaterials will also be studied through parameter retrieval of far-field optical and radiative properties for studying near-field radiative transport. Moreover, a custom-made AFM tip based metrology will be employed to experimentally study near-field radiative transfer between a plate and a sphere separated by nanometer vacuum gaps in vacuum. This transformative research will break new ground in nanoscale radiative heat

The SERS and TERS effects obtained by gold droplets on top of Si nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, M; Sivakov, V; Andrä, G; Geiger, R; Schreiber, J; Hoffmann, S; Michler, J; Milenin, A P; Werner, P; Christiansen, S H

2007-01-01

We show that hemispherical gold droplets on top of silicon nanowires when grown by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism, can produce a significant enhancement of Raman scattered signals. Signal enhancement for a few or even just single gold droplets is demonstrated by analyzing the enhanced Raman signature of malachite green molecules. For this experiment, trenches (approximately 800 nm wide) were etched in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer along crystallographic directions that constitute sidewalls ({110} surfaces) suitable for the growth of silicon nanowires in directions with the intention that the gold droplets on the silicon nanowires can meet somewhere in the trench when growth time is carefully selected. Another way to realize gold nanostructures in close vicinity is to attach a silicon nanowire with a gold droplet onto an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip and to bring this tip toward another gold-coated AFM tip where malachite green molecules were deposited prior to the measurements. In both experiments, signal enhancement of characteristic Raman bands of malachite green molecules was observed. This indicates that silicon nanowires with gold droplets atop can act as efficient probes for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). In our article, we show that a nanowire TERS probe can be fabricated by welding nanowires with gold droplets to AFM tips in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). TERS tips made from nanowires could improve the spatial resolution of Raman spectroscopy so that measurements on the nanometer scale are possible.

Radial composition of single InGaN nanowires: a combined study by EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Gomez, M.; Garro, N.; Cantarero, A. [Institut de Ciencia dels Materials, Universitat de Valencia, Paterna (Spain); Segura-Ruiz, J.; Martinez-Criado, G.; Chu, M.H. [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Experiments Division, Grenoble (France); Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A. [IV. Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen (Germany)

2013-10-15

The radial alloy distribution of In{sub x} Ga{sub 1-x}N nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated by three different techniques with nanometric spatial resolution and capability to study single nanowires. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy radial line-scans revealed a gradient in the alloy composition of individual nanowires. Resonant Raman scattering and spatially resolved X-ray diffraction showed the existence of three distinctive regions with different alloy composition. The combination of the three techniques provides robust evidence of the spontaneous formation of a core-shell structure with a thin Ga-richer shell wrapping an In-rich core at the bottom part of the nanowires. This composition-modulated nanostructure offers an attractive way to explore new device concepts in fully epitaxial nanowire-based solar cells. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Power generation from base excitation of a Kevlar composite beam with ZnO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Malakooti, Mohammad H.; Hwang, Hyun-Sik; Sodano, Henry A.

2015-04-01

One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanotubes with piezoelectric properties have gained interest in the fabrication of small scale power harvesting systems. However, the practical applications of the nanoscale materials in structures with true mechanical strengths have not yet been demonstrated. In this paper, piezoelectric ZnO nanowires are integrated into the fiber reinforced polymer composites serving as an active phase to convert the induced strain energy from ambient vibration into electrical energy. Arrays of ZnO nanowires are grown vertically aligned on aramid fibers through a low-cost hydrothermal process. The modified fabrics with ZnO nanowires whiskers are then placed between two carbon fabrics as the top and the bottom electrodes. Finally, vacuum resin transfer molding technique is utilized to fabricate these multiscale composites. The fabricated composites are subjected to a base excitation using a shaker to generate charge due to the direct piezoelectric effect of ZnO nanowires. Measuring the generated potential difference between the two electrodes showed the energy harvesting application of these multiscale composites in addition to their superior mechanical properties. These results propose a new generation of power harvesting systems with enhanced mechanical properties.

The prevalent synthesis of one-dimensional noble metal nanostructures based on sulfonated polyaniline at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Youyi

2011-01-01

We describe a prevalent method of synthesizing one-dimensional (1D) noble metal nanostructures (silver nanobelts and palladium nanowires) by treatment of corresponding noble metal ions only in the presence of the conductive sulfonated polyaniline without using any other reducing agents or energies. The results show that the sulfonated polyaniline provides the dual reductant and “soft template” roles to promoting noble metal ions to form shape-controlled 1D noble metal nanostructures in high yield. The employed approach may also shed some light on the preparation of other noble metal nanostructure by using conductive polymer.

Organic nanowire hierarchy over fabric platform for flexible cold cathode

Science.gov (United States)

Maiti, Soumen; Narayan Maiti, Uday; Pal, Shreyasi; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan Kumar

2013-11-01

Organic charge transfer (CT) complexes initiated a growing interest in modern electronic devices owing to their easy processability and unique characteristics. In this work, three-dimensional field emitters comprising metal-organic charge transfer complex nanostructures of AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ (TCNQ, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) over flexible fabric substrate are realized. Deliberate control over the reaction parameter during organic solid phase reaction leads to modification in structural parameters of the nanowires (i.e. length, diameter) as well as their arrangement atop the carbon fibers. The optimized arrays of AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ nanowires exhibit excellent field electron emission performance with very low turn-on (1.72 and 2.56 V μm-1) and threshold fields (4.21 and 6.33 V μm-1) respectively, which are comparable to those of the best organic field emitters reported to date. The underlying conducting carbon cloth with special woven-like geometry not only offers a flexible platform for nanowire growth, but also provides an additional field enhancement to ease the electron emission.

Organic nanowire hierarchy over fabric platform for flexible cold cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maiti, Soumen; Pal, Shreyasi; Chattopadhyay, Kalyan Kumar; Maiti, Uday Narayan

2013-01-01

Organic charge transfer (CT) complexes initiated a growing interest in modern electronic devices owing to their easy processability and unique characteristics. In this work, three-dimensional field emitters comprising metal–organic charge transfer complex nanostructures of AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ (TCNQ, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) over flexible fabric substrate are realized. Deliberate control over the reaction parameter during organic solid phase reaction leads to modification in structural parameters of the nanowires (i.e. length, diameter) as well as their arrangement atop the carbon fibers. The optimized arrays of AgTCNQ and CuTCNQ nanowires exhibit excellent field electron emission performance with very low turn-on (1.72 and 2.56 V μm −1 ) and threshold fields (4.21 and 6.33 V μm −1 ) respectively, which are comparable to those of the best organic field emitters reported to date. The underlying conducting carbon cloth with special woven-like geometry not only offers a flexible platform for nanowire growth, but also provides an additional field enhancement to ease the electron emission. (paper)

P-type sub-tungsten-oxide based urchin-like nanostructure for superior room temperature alcohol sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yao; Yin, Mingli; Yan, Junqing; Liu, Shengzhong (Frank)

2018-05-01

Nanowires assembled sub-WO3 urchin-like nanostructures have been fabricated via a solvothermal method. The detailed structure and morphology features were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results reveal that the individual nanowires are grown along the [0 0 1] direction, and assembled together to form an urchin-like nanostructure. Sensing performance of the sub-WO3 was investigated toward alcohol vapor. At room temperature, the sensor devices based on the WO3-x exhibit significantly higher sensitivity comparing to that of the stoichiometric WO3. The superior sensing performance of this WO3-x sensor is ascribed to the large specific surface area and abundant oxygen vacancies. The obvious enhancement of the gas sensing property can be very useful for the future design and development of room temperature gas sensors for other volatile organic compounds.

ZnO nanowires coated stainless steel meshes as hierarchical photocatalysts for catalytic photodegradation of four kinds of organic pollutants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Fu-Hsiang; Lo, Wei-Ju [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan (China); Chang, Yu-Cheng, E-mail: ychang0127@gmail.com [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung, 40724, Taiwan (China); Guo, Jin-You; Chen, Chien-Ming [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung, 40724, Taiwan (China)

2016-09-05

ZnO nanostructures were grown on the stainless steel mesh substrates using an aqueous chemical growth method. The different additives (such as 1,3-diaminopropane and polyethyleneimine) can be used to control the morphology of ZnO nanostructures. ZnO nanowires exhibit very prominent green emission and week UV emission from defect and band gap in the cathodoluminescence spectrum, respectively. The different morphology of ZnO nanostructures on the stainless steel mesh substrates can be used to irradiate UV light for the photocatalytic degradation of four kinds of organic pollutants, such as methylene blue, rhodamine 6G, methyl orange, and 4-nitrophenol. The ZnO nanowires can provide a higher surface-to-volume ratio and stronger defect emission, resulting in their highest photocatalytic performance in 10 W UV light irradiation. The ZnO nanowire arrays on the stainless steel mesh substrates provide a large-scale, facile, low-cost, high surface area, and high photocatalytic efficiency, which shall be of significant value for practical applications of the decomposition of environment pollutants and reusing of wastewater treatment. - Highlights: • ZnO NWs were grown on the stainless steel mesh by aqueous chemical growth method. • Longer ZnO NW arrays have been grown at short reaction time (2 h). • ZnO NWs revealed green emission from surface defect in the CL spectrum. • The different morphologies of ZnO were evaluated organic pollutant degradation. • ZnO NWs were also exhibited great photocatalytic activity and reusability.

Nanostructures of Boron, Carbon and Magnesium Diboride for High Temperature Superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfefferle, Lisa [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Fang, Fang [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Iyyamperumal, Eswarmoorthi [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Keskar, Gayatri [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)

2013-12-23

Direct fabrication of MgxBy nanostructures is achieved by employing metal (Ni,Mg) incorporated MCM-41 in the Hybrid Physical-Chemical Vapor Deposition (HPCVD) reaction. Different reaction conditions are tested to optimize the fabrication process. TEM analysis shows the fabrication of MgxBy nanostructures starting at the reaction temperature of 600oC, with the yield of the nanostructures increasing with increasing reaction temperature. The as-synthesized MgxBy nanostructures have the diameters in the range of 3-5nm, which do not increase with the reaction temperature consistent with templated synthesis. EELS analysis of the template removed nanostructures confirms the existence of B and Mg with possible contamination of Si and O. NEXAFS and Raman spectroscopy analysis suggested a concentric layer-by-layer MgxBy nanowire/nanotube growth model for our as-synthesized nanostructures. Ni k-edge XAS indicates that the formation of MgNi alloy particles is important for the Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) growth of MgxBy nanostructures with fine diameters, and the presence of Mg vapor not just Mg in the catalyst is crucial for the formation of Ni-Mg clusters. Physical templating by the MCM-41 pores was shown to confine the diameter of the nanostructures. DC magnetization measurements indicate possible superconductive behaviors in the as-synthesized samples.

Guided self-assembly of nanostructured titanium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Baoxiang; Rozynek, Zbigniew; Fossum, Jon Otto; Knudsen, Kenneth D; Yu Yingda

2012-01-01

A series of nanostructured titanium oxide particles were synthesized by a simple wet chemical method and characterized by means of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS)/wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermal analysis, and rheometry. Tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) and ethylene glycol (EG) can be combined to form either TiO x nanowires or smooth nanorods, and the molar ratio of TBT:EG determines which of these is obtained. Therefore, TiO x nanorods with a highly rough surface can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant in an EG solution. Furthermore, TiO x nanorods with two sharp ends can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of salt (LiCl) in an EG solution. The AFM results show that the TiO x nanorods with rough surfaces are formed by the self-assembly of TiO x nanospheres. The electrorheological (ER) effect was investigated using a suspension of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods dispersed in silicone oil. Oil suspensions of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods exhibit a dramatic reorganization when submitted to a strong DC electric field and the particles aggregate to form chain-like structures along the direction of applied electric field. Two-dimensional SAXS images from chains of anisotropically shaped particles exhibit a marked asymmetry in the SAXS patterns, reflecting the preferential self-assembly of the particles in the field. The suspension of rough TiO x nanorods shows stronger ER properties than that of the other nanostructured TiO x particles. We find that the particle surface roughness plays an important role in modification of the dielectric properties and in the enhancement of the ER effect. (paper)

Guided self-assembly of nanostructured titanium oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Baoxiang; Rozynek, Zbigniew; Fossum, Jon Otto; Knudsen, Kenneth D.; Yu, Yingda

2012-02-01

A series of nanostructured titanium oxide particles were synthesized by a simple wet chemical method and characterized by means of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS)/wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermal analysis, and rheometry. Tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) and ethylene glycol (EG) can be combined to form either TiOx nanowires or smooth nanorods, and the molar ratio of TBT:EG determines which of these is obtained. Therefore, TiOx nanorods with a highly rough surface can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant in an EG solution. Furthermore, TiOx nanorods with two sharp ends can be obtained by hydrolysis of TBT with the addition of salt (LiCl) in an EG solution. The AFM results show that the TiOx nanorods with rough surfaces are formed by the self-assembly of TiOx nanospheres. The electrorheological (ER) effect was investigated using a suspension of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods dispersed in silicone oil. Oil suspensions of titanium oxide nanowires or nanorods exhibit a dramatic reorganization when submitted to a strong DC electric field and the particles aggregate to form chain-like structures along the direction of applied electric field. Two-dimensional SAXS images from chains of anisotropically shaped particles exhibit a marked asymmetry in the SAXS patterns, reflecting the preferential self-assembly of the particles in the field. The suspension of rough TiOx nanorods shows stronger ER properties than that of the other nanostructured TiOx particles. We find that the particle surface roughness plays an important role in modification of the dielectric properties and in the enhancement of the ER effect.

The spontaneous formation and plasmonic properties of ultrathin gold–silver nanorods and nanowires stabilized in oleic acid

KAUST Repository

Crespo, Julian

2015-10-02

Ultrathin Au-Ag alloy nanorods and nanowires of different lengths and ca. 1.9 nm diameter are prepared through a low-temperature decomposition of the precursor [AuAg(CF)(OEt)] in oleic acid. This nanostructure formation has been studied through TEM, HRTEM, EDS, HS-SPME-GC-MS and F NMR spectroscopy. The UNRs and UNWs display a length-dependent broad band in the mid-IR region that is related to the longitudinal mode of the surface plasmon resonance of the ultrathin nanostructures.

The spontaneous formation and plasmonic properties of ultrathin gold–silver nanorods and nanowires stabilized in oleic acid

KAUST Repository

Crespo, Julian; Ló pez-De-Luzuriaga, José M.; Monge, Miguel; Elena Olmos, M.; Rodrí guez-Castillo, Marí a; Cormary, Benoî t; Soulantica, Katerina; Sestu, Matteo; Falqui, Andrea

2015-01-01

Ultrathin Au-Ag alloy nanorods and nanowires of different lengths and ca. 1.9 nm diameter are prepared through a low-temperature decomposition of the precursor [AuAg(CF)(OEt)] in oleic acid. This nanostructure formation has been studied through TEM, HRTEM, EDS, HS-SPME-GC-MS and F NMR spectroscopy. The UNRs and UNWs display a length-dependent broad band in the mid-IR region that is related to the longitudinal mode of the surface plasmon resonance of the ultrathin nanostructures.

Predictive simulations and optimization of nanowire field-effect PSA sensors including screening

KAUST Repository

Baumgartner, Stefan; Heitzinger, Clemens; Vacic, Aleksandar; Reed, Mark A

2013-01-01

We apply our self-consistent PDE model for the electrical response of field-effect sensors to the 3D simulation of nanowire PSA (prostate-specific antigen) sensors. The charge concentration in the biofunctionalized boundary layer at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is calculated using the propka algorithm, and the screening of the biomolecules by the free ions in the liquid is modeled by a sensitivity factor. This comprehensive approach yields excellent agreement with experimental current-voltage characteristics without any fitting parameters. Having verified the numerical model in this manner, we study the sensitivity of nanowire PSA sensors by changing device parameters, making it possible to optimize the devices and revealing the attributes of the optimal field-effect sensor. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Predictive simulations and optimization of nanowire field-effect PSA sensors including screening

KAUST Repository

Baumgartner, Stefan

2013-05-03

We apply our self-consistent PDE model for the electrical response of field-effect sensors to the 3D simulation of nanowire PSA (prostate-specific antigen) sensors. The charge concentration in the biofunctionalized boundary layer at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is calculated using the propka algorithm, and the screening of the biomolecules by the free ions in the liquid is modeled by a sensitivity factor. This comprehensive approach yields excellent agreement with experimental current-voltage characteristics without any fitting parameters. Having verified the numerical model in this manner, we study the sensitivity of nanowire PSA sensors by changing device parameters, making it possible to optimize the devices and revealing the attributes of the optimal field-effect sensor. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Transparent TiO2 nanowire networks via wet corrosion of Ti thin films for dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Eunhye; Jin, Saera; Hong, Jongin

2017-09-01

Transparent TiO2 nanowire networks were prepared by corrosion of Ti thin films on F-doped SnO2 glass substrates in an alkaline (potassium hydroxide: KOH) solution. The formation of the porous TiO2 nanostructures from the Ti thin films was thoroughly investigated. Dye-sensitized solar cells with a photoanode of 1.2-μm-thick nanowire networks exhibit an average optical transmittance of 40% in the visible light region and a power conversion efficiency of 1.0% under one sun illumination.

PdM (M = Pt, Au) bimetallic alloy nanowires with enhanced electrocatalytic activity for electro-oxidation of small molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Chengzhou; Guo, Shaojun; Dong, Shaojun

2012-05-02

A facile and general method has been developed to synthesize well-defined PdPt and PdAu alloy nanowires, which exhibit significantly enhanced activity towards small molecules, such as ethanol, methanol, and glucose electro-oxidation in an alkaline medium. Considering the important role of one-dimensional alloy nanowires in electrocatalytic systems, the present Pd-based alloy nanostructures could offer a promising new class of advanced electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells and electrochemical sensors. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The design, fabrication, and photocatalytic utility of nanostructured semiconductors: focus on TiO2-based nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan

2011-01-01

Recent advances in basic fabrication techniques of TiO2-based nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanoplatelets, and both physical- and solution-based techniques have been adopted by various research groups around the world. Our research focus has been mainly on various deposition parameters used for fabricating nanostructured materials, including TiO2-organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials. Technically, TiO2 shows relatively high reactivity under ultraviolet light, the energy of which exceeds the band gap of TiO2. The development of photocatalysts exhibiting high reactivity under visible light allows the main part of the solar spectrum to be used. Visible light-activated TiO2 could be prepared by doping or sensitizing. As far as doping of TiO2 is concerned, in obtaining tailored material with improved properties, metal and nonmetal doping has been performed in the context of improved photoactivity. Nonmetal doping seems to be more promising than metal doping. TiO2 represents an effective photocatalyst for water and air purification and for self-cleaning surfaces. Additionally, it can be used as an antibacterial agent because of its strong oxidation activity and superhydrophilicity. Therefore, applications of TiO2 in terms of photocatalytic activities are discussed here. The basic mechanisms of the photoactivities of TiO2 and nanostructures are considered alongside band structure engineering and surface modification in nanostructured TiO2 in the context of doping. The article reviews the basic structural, optical, and electrical properties of TiO2, followed by detailed fabrication techniques of 0-, 1-, and quasi-2-dimensional TiO2 nanomaterials. Applications and future directions of nanostructured TiO2 are considered in the context of various photoinduced phenomena such as hydrogen production, electricity generation via dye-sensitized solar cells, photokilling and self-cleaning effect, photo-oxidation of organic pollutant, wastewater management, and

High-performance supercapacitors of Cu-based porous coordination polymer nanowires and the derived porous CuO nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Meng-Ke; Zhou, Jiao-Jiao; Yi, Fei-Yan; Chen, Chen; Li, Yan-Li; Li, Qin; Tao, Kai; Han, Lei

2017-12-12

Electrode materials for supercapacitors with one-dimensional porous nanostructures, such as nanowires and nanotubes, are very attractive for high-efficiency storage of electrochemical energy. Herein, ultralong Cu-based porous coordination polymer nanowires (copper-l-aspartic acid) were used as the electrode material for supercapacitors, for the first time. The as-prepared material exhibits a high specific capacitance of 367 F g -1 at 0.6 A g -1 and excellent cycling stability (94% retention over 1000 cycles). Moreover, porous CuO nanotubes were successfully fabricated by the thermal decomposition of this nanowire precursor. The CuO nanotube exhibits good electrochemical performance with high rate capacity (77% retention at 12.5 A g -1 ) and long-term stability (96% retention over 1000 cycles). The strategy developed here for the synthesis of porous nanowires and nanotubes can be extended to the construction of other electrode materials for more efficient energy storage.

Homogeneous ZnO nanostructure arrays on GaAs substrates by two-step chemical bath synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Chun-Yuan; Wu, Tzung-Han; Cheng, Chiao-Yang; Su, Yan-Kuin

2012-01-01

ZnO nanostructures, including nanowires, nanorods, and nanoneedles, have been deposited on GaAs substrates by the two-step chemical bath synthesis. It was demonstrated that the O 2 -plasma treatment of GaAs substrates prior to the sol–gel deposition of seed layers was essential to conformally grow the nanostructures instead of 2D ZnO bunches and grains on the seed layers. Via adjusting the growth time and concentration of precursors, nanostructures with different average diameter (26–225 nm), length (0.98–2.29 μm), and density (1.9–15.3 × 10 9 cm −2 ) can be obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of ZnO nanostructure arrays grown on GaAs substrates by the two-step chemical bath synthesis. As an anti-reflection layer on GaAs-based solar cells, the array of ZnO nanoneedles with an average diameter of 125 nm, a moderate length of 2.29 μm, and the distribution density of 9.8 × 10 9 cm −2 has increased the power conversion efficiency from 7.3 to 12.2 %, corresponding to a 67 % improvement.

STRUCTURAL FLUCTUATIONS, ELECTRICAL RESPONSE AND THE RELIABILITY OF NANOSTRUCTURES (FINAL REPORT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philip J. Rous; Ellen D. Williams; Michael S. Fuhrer

2006-07-31

The goal of the research supported by DOE-FG02-01ER45939 was to synthesize a number of experimental and theoretical approaches to understand the relationship between morphological fluctuations, the electrical response and the reliability (failure) of metallic nanostructures. The primary focus of our work was the study of metallic nanowires which we regard as prototypical of nanoscale interconnects. Our research plan has been to link together these materials properties and behaviors by understanding the phenomenon of, and the effects of electromigration at nanometer length scales. The thrust of our research has been founded on the concept that, for nanostructures where the surface-to-volume ratio is necessarily high, surface diffusion is the dominant mass transport mechanism that governs the fluctuations, electrical properties and failure modes of nanostructures. Our approach has been to develop experimental methods that permit the direct imaging of the electromagnetic distributions within nanostructures, their structural fluctuations and their electrical response. This experimental research is complemented by a parallel theoretical and computational program that describes the temporal evolution of nanostructures in response to current flow.

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kan Caixia; Zhu Jiejun; Zhu Xiaoguang

2008-01-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Cai-Xia; Zhu, Jie-Jun; Zhu, Xiao-Guang

2008-08-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Kinetically Controlled Synthesis of Pt-Based One-Dimensional Hierarchically Porous Nanostructures with Large Mesopores as Highly Efficient ORR Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Shaofang; Zhu, Chengzhou; Song, Junhua; Engelhard, Mark H; Xia, Haibing; Du, Dan; Lin, Yuehe

2016-12-28

Rational design and construction of Pt-based porous nanostructures with large mesopores have triggered significant considerations because of their high surface area and more efficient mass transport. Hydrochloric acid-induced kinetically controlled reduction of metal precursors in the presence of soft template F-127 and hard template tellurium nanowires has been successfully demonstrated to construct one-dimensional hierarchical porous PtCu alloy nanostructures with large mesopores. Moreover, the electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the PtCu hierarchically porous nanostructures synthesized under optimized conditions exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction in acid media.

Kinetically Controlled Synthesis of Pt-Based One-Dimensional Hierarchically Porous Nanostructures with Large Mesopores as Highly Efficient ORR Catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Shaofang; Zhu, Chengzhou; Song, Junhua; Engelhard, Mark H.; Xia, Haibing; Du, Dan; Lin, Yuehe

2016-12-28

Rational design and construction of Pt-based porous nanostructures with large mesopores have triggered significant considerations because of their high surface area and more efficient mass transport. Hydrochloric acid-induced kinetic reduction of metal precursors in the presence of soft template F-127 and hard template tellurium nanowires has been successfully demonstrated to construct one-dimensional hierarchical porous PtCu alloy nanostructures with large mesopores. Moreover, the electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the resultant PtCu hierarchically porous nanostructures with optimized composition exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction.

The Process of Nanostructuring of Metal (Iron Matrix in Composite Materials for Directional Control of the Mechanical Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Zemtsova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We justified theoretical and experimental bases of synthesis of new class of highly nanostructured composite nanomaterials based on metal matrix with titanium carbide nanowires as dispersed phase. A new combined method for obtaining of metal iron-based composite materials comprising the powder metallurgy processes and the surface design of the dispersed phase is considered. The following stages of material synthesis are investigated: (1 preparation of porous metal matrix; (2 surface structuring of the porous metal matrix by TiC nanowires; (3 pressing and sintering to give solid metal composite nanostructured materials based on iron with TiC nanostructures with size 1–50 nm. This material can be represented as the material type “frame in the frame” that represents iron metal frame reinforcing the frame of different chemical compositions based on TiC. Study of material functional properties showed that the mechanical properties of composite materials based on iron with TiC dispersed phase despite the presence of residual porosity are comparable to the properties of the best grades of steel containing expensive dopants and obtained by molding. This will solve the problem of developing a new generation of nanostructured metal (iron-based materials with improved mechanical properties for the different areas of technology.

Bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodical fluctuating diameter: Homogeneous synthesis, synergistic growth mechanism, and their luminescence properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Meng; Zhao, Jian [School of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266061 (China); Li, Zhenjiang, E-mail: zhenjiangli@qust.edu.cn [School of Sino-German Science and Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, China (China); Yu, Hongyuan [School of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266061 (China); Wang, Yaqi [School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266042 (China); Meng, Alan, E-mail: alanmengqust@163.com [School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266042 (China); Li, Qingdang [School of Sino-German Science and Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, China (China)

2016-11-15

Herein, bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires have been successfully fabricated on homogeneous 6H-SiC substrate by a simple chemical vapor reaction (CVR) approach. The obtained 3C-SiC nanostructure with periodical fluctuating diameter, is composed of two alternating structure units, the typical normal-sized stem segment with perfect crystallinity and obvious projecting nodes segment having high-density stacking faults. The formation of the interesting morphology is significantly subjected to the peculiar growth condition provided by the homogeneous substrate as well as the varying growth elastic energy. Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) performance measured on the bamboo-like SiC nanowire shows an intensive emission peaks centered at 451 nm and 467 nm, which has been expected to make a positive progress toward the optical application of the SiC-based one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, such as light emission diode (LED). - Graphical abstract: Based on the synergistic growth mechanism from homogeneous substrate and elastic energy, bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodically fluctuating diameter have been synthesized on 6H-SiC. The blue-violet light emission properties of the bamboo-like nanowires have also been investigated for exploring their peculiar optical application. - Highlights: • Bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodically fluctuating diameter have been synthesized on 6H-SiC. • A synergistic growth mechanism from homogeneous substrate and elastic energy has been proposed firstly. • The blue-violet light emission properties of the products displayed peculiar optical application.

Bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodical fluctuating diameter: Homogeneous synthesis, synergistic growth mechanism, and their luminescence properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Meng; Zhao, Jian; Li, Zhenjiang; Yu, Hongyuan; Wang, Yaqi; Meng, Alan; Li, Qingdang

2016-01-01

Herein, bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires have been successfully fabricated on homogeneous 6H-SiC substrate by a simple chemical vapor reaction (CVR) approach. The obtained 3C-SiC nanostructure with periodical fluctuating diameter, is composed of two alternating structure units, the typical normal-sized stem segment with perfect crystallinity and obvious projecting nodes segment having high-density stacking faults. The formation of the interesting morphology is significantly subjected to the peculiar growth condition provided by the homogeneous substrate as well as the varying growth elastic energy. Furthermore, the photoluminescence (PL) performance measured on the bamboo-like SiC nanowire shows an intensive emission peaks centered at 451 nm and 467 nm, which has been expected to make a positive progress toward the optical application of the SiC-based one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures, such as light emission diode (LED). - Graphical abstract: Based on the synergistic growth mechanism from homogeneous substrate and elastic energy, bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodically fluctuating diameter have been synthesized on 6H-SiC. The blue-violet light emission properties of the bamboo-like nanowires have also been investigated for exploring their peculiar optical application. - Highlights: • Bamboo-like 3C-SiC nanowires with periodically fluctuating diameter have been synthesized on 6H-SiC. • A synergistic growth mechanism from homogeneous substrate and elastic energy has been proposed firstly. • The blue-violet light emission properties of the products displayed peculiar optical application.

Selective growth of silica nanowires using an Au catalyst for optical recognition of interleukin-10

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhar, Praveen K; Ramgir, Niranjan S; Joshi, Rakesh K; Bhansali, Shekhar [Bio-MEMS and Microfabrication Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, ENB 118, Tampa, FL 33620 (United States)], E-mail: bhansali@eng.usf.edu

2008-06-18

The vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth procedure has been extended for the selective growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} layer by using Au as a catalyst. The nanowires were grown in an open tube furnace at 1100 deg. C for 60 min using Ar as a carrier gas. The average diameter of these bottom-up nucleated wires was found to be 200 nm. Transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates the amorphous nature of these nanoscale wires and suggests an Si-silica heterostructure. The localized silica nanowires have been used as an immunoassay template in the detection of interleukin-10 which is a lung cancer biomarker. Such a nanostructured platform offered a tenfold enhancement in the optical response, aiding the recognition of IL-10 in comparison to a bare silica substrate. The role of nanowires in the immunoassay was verified through the quenching behavior in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Two orders of reduction in PL intensity have been observed after completion of the immunoassay with significant quenching after executing every step of the protocol. The potential of this site-specific growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} as a multi-modal biosensing platform has been discussed.

Field emission from patterned SnO2 nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yongsheng; Yu Ke; Li Guodong; Peng Deyan; Zhang Qiuxiang; Hu Hongmei; Xu Feng; Bai Wei; Ouyang Shixi; Zhu Ziqiang

2006-01-01

A simple and reliable method has been developed for synthesizing finely patterned tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) nanostructure arrays on silicon substrates. A patterned Au catalyst film was prepared on the silicon wafer by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and photolithographic patterning processes. The patterned SnO 2 nanostructures arrays, a unit area is of ∼500 μm x 200 μm, were synthesized via vapor phase transport method. The surface morphology and composition of the as-synthesized SnO 2 nanostructures were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanism of formation of SnO 2 nanostructures was also discussed. The measurement of field emission (FE) revealed that the as-synthesized SnO 2 nanorods, nanowires and nanoparticles arrays have a lower turn-on field of 2.6, 3.2 and 3.9 V/μm, respectively, at the current density of 0.1 μA/cm 2 . This approach must have a wide variety of applications such as fabrications of micro-optical components and micropatterned oxide thin films used in FE-based flat panel displays, sensor arrays and so on

Facile synthesis of Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−δ} (BSCF) perovskite nanowires by templating from nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habiballah, Anisah Shafiqah [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Jani, Abdul Mutalib Md, E-mail: abdmutalib@perlis.uitm.edu.my [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 02600 Arau, Perlis (Malaysia); Mahmud, Abdul Hadi [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Osman, Nafisah [Physics Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 02600 Arau, Perlis (Malaysia); Radiman, Shahidan [Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

2016-07-01

Template synthesis has been shown to be a popular and elegant route for fabricating a broad range of nanostructured materials such as nanowires, nanotubes or nanorods. These nanostructures can be used as building blocks in nanoscale electronic, magnetic and photonic devices. Nonetheless, there are still numerous challenges to control the intricate one-dimensional nanostructures with well-controlled size, phase purity, crystallinity and chemical composition. In this work, we synthesized Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−δ} (BSCF) perovskite nanowires by templating approach for the first time; with varying the spin coating rate of 100, 500 and 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm), followed by drying (150 °C, 15 h) and calcination treatment (400–900 °C, 4 h). We only focused on structural properties, morphology and formation mechanism of BSCF nanowires by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The XRD profile confirmed at a calcination temperature of 900 °C, a single crystalline phase of BSCF nanowires was successfully obtained, in which congruent to the perovskite cubic structure of BSCF. Particularly, FESEM micrograph showed that a highly dense morphological distribution of BSCF nanowires has been successfully attained at a low spinning rate of 100 rpm, with the length range of 7–10 μm. The TEM image further confirmed the nanowires structure of BSCF. Besides, EDX analysis confirmed the stoichiometry percentages of Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 3−δ}. The possible formation mechanism of the BSCF nanowires was also discussed in this paper. - Highlights: • BSCF nanowires were synthesized via template synthesis with spin coating technique. • Single crystalline phase of BSCF nanowires was successfully obtained at 900 °C. • Different spin rate will result in different BSCF

Passivation of ZnO Nanowire Guests and 3D Inverse Opal Host Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Labouchere, Philippe

2014-04-23

A hierarchical host-guest nanostructured photoanode is reported for dye-sensitized solar cells. It is composed of ZnO nanowires grown in situ into the macropores of a 3D ZnO inverse opal structure, which acts both as a seed layer and as a conductive backbone host. Using a combination of self-assembly, hydrothermal or electrodeposition of single crystalline ZnO nanowires and TiO2 passivation, a novel photoanode with scattering capability for optimal light harvesting is fabricated. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhancement of Si solar cell efficiency using ZnO nanowires with various diameters

Science.gov (United States)

Gholizadeh, A.; Reyhani, A.; Parvin, P.; Mortazavi, S. Z.; Mehrabi, M.

2018-01-01

Here, Zinc Oxide nanowires are synthesized using thermal chemical vapor deposition of a Zn granulate source and used to enhance a significant Si-solar cell efficiency with simple and low cost method. The nanowires are grown in various O2 flow rates. Those affect the shape, yield, structure and the quality of ZnO nanowires according to scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analyses. This delineates that the ZnO nanostructure is dependent on the synthesis conditions. The photoluminescence spectroscopy of ZnO indicates optical emission at the Ultra-Violet and blue-green regions whose intensity varies as a function of diameter of ZnO nano-wires. The optical property of ZnO layer is measured by UV-visible and diffuse reflection spectroscopy that demonstrate high absorbance at 280-550 nm. Furthermore, the photovoltaic characterization of ZnO nanowires is investigated based on the drop casting on Si-solar cell. The ZnO nanowires with various diameters demonstrate different effects on the efficiency of Si-solar cells. We have shown that the reduction of the spectral reflectance and down-shifting process as well as the reduction of photon trapping are essential parameters on the efficiency of Si-solar cells. However, the latter is dominated here. In fact, the trapped photons during the electron-hole generation are dominant due to lessening the absorption rate in ZnO nano-wires. The results indicate that the mean diameters reduction of ZnO nanowires is also essential to improve the fill factor. The external and internal quantum efficiency analyses attest the efficiency improvement over the blue region which is related to the key parameters above.

Production of nanopoints and nanowires of silver at the surface of Si(557)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhachuk, R.A.; Tijs, S.A.; Ol'shanetskij, B.Z.

2004-01-01

Formation of the silver nanostructures at the room temperature on the Si(557) surface containing the regular atomic stages of three interplanar distances in the height is studied through the methods of the scanning tunnel microscopy and electron Auger-spectroscopy. It is established that the oxygen adsorbed by the silicon surface from the residual atmosphere in the vacuum chamber effects the shape of the formed silver islands. The silver nanostructures of the nanowire-type, extended along the stage edges or nanopoints ordered in lines parallel to the stage edges may be formed depending on the quantity of the oxygen adsorbed on the surface [ru

Template Synthesis of Nanostructured Polymeric Membranes by Inkjet Printing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Peng; Hunter, Aaron; Benavides, Sherwood; Summe, Mark J; Gao, Feng; Phillip, William A

2016-02-10

The fabrication of functional nanomaterials with complex structures has been serving great scientific and practical interests, but current fabrication and patterning methods are generally costly and laborious. Here, we introduce a versatile, reliable, and rapid method for fabricating nanostructured polymeric materials. The novel method is based on a combination of inkjet printing and template synthesis, and its utility and advantages in the fabrication of polymeric nanomaterials is demonstrated through three examples: the generation of polymeric nanotubes, nanowires, and thin films. Layer-by-layer-assembled nanotubes can be synthesized in a polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) membrane by printing poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(styrenesulfonate) sequentially. This sequential deposition of polyelectrolyte ink enables control over the surface charge within the nanotubes. By a simple change of the printing conditions, polymeric nanotubes or nanowires were prepared by printing poly(vinyl alcohol) in a PCTE template. In this case, the high-throughput nature of the method enables functional nanomaterials to be generated in under 3 min. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inkjet printing paired with template synthesis can be used to generate patterns comprised of chemically distinct nanomaterials. Thin polymeric films of layer-by-layer-assembled poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(styrenesulfonate) are printed on a PCTE membrane. Track-etched membranes covered with the deposited thin films reject ions and can potentially be utilized as nanofiltration membranes. When the fabrication of these different classes of nanostructured materials is demonstrated, the advantages of pairing template synthesis with inkjet printing, which include fast and reliable deposition, judicious use of the deposited materials, and the ability to design chemically patterned surfaces, are highlighted.

Hydrogen activated axial inter-conversion in SiC nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruemmeli, Mark H.; Adebimpe, David B.; Borowiak-Palen, Ewa; Gemming, Thomas; Ayala, Paola; Ioannides, Nicholas; Pichler, Thomas; Huczko, Andrzej; Cudzilo, Stanislaw; Knupfer, Martin; Buechner, Bernd

2009-01-01

A facile low pressure annealing route using NH 3 as a hydrogen source for the structural and chemical modification of SiC nanowires (SiCNWs) is presented. The developed route transforms SiCNWs into tubular SiC nanostructures while coaxial SiO 2 /SiCNWs reverse their sheath/core structure. Our findings suggest a decomposition process induced via the preferential substitution of silicon by hydrogen and via the difference in diffusion rates of available atomic species, which leads to axial structural rearrangement. In addition to these effects, the procedure improves the crystallinity of the samples. The process could be exploited as a viable route to manipulate a variety of nanostructures and films for doping and etching and structural manipulation. - Graphical abstract: SiC and SiO 2 /SiCNWs are shown to be structurally modified through a hydrogen activated replacement route which can even lead to the axial inter-conversion of species. The process could be exploited as a viable route to manipulate a variety of nanostructures and films for doping and etching and structural manipulation

Nanostructure Engineered Chemical Sensors for Hazardous Gas and Vapor Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Lu, Yijiang

2005-01-01

A nanosensor technology has been developed using nanostructures, such as single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and metal oxides nanowires or nanobelts, on a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDE) processed with a silicon based microfabrication and micromachining technique. The IDE fingers were fabricated using thin film metallization techniques. Both in-situ growth of nanostructure materials and casting of the nanostructure dispersions were used to make chemical sensing devices. These sensors have been exposed to hazardous gases and vapors, such as acetone, benzene, chlorine, and ammonia in the concentration range of ppm to ppb at room temperature. The electronic molecular sensing in our sensor platform can be understood by electron modulation between the nanostructure engineered device and gas molecules. As a result of the electron modulation, the conductance of nanodevice will change. Due to the large surface area, low surface energy barrier and high thermal and mechanical stability, nanostructured chemical sensors potentially can offer higher sensitivity, lower power consumption and better robustness than the state-of-the-art systems, which make them more attractive for defense and space applications. Combined with MEMS technology, light weight and compact size sensors can be made in wafer scale with low cost.

Formation of crystalline InGaO₃(ZnO)n nanowires via the solid-phase diffusion process using a solution-based precursor.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yujie; Van Bilzen, Bart; Locquet, Jean Pierre; Seo, Jin Won

2015-12-11

One-dimensional single crystalline InGaO3(ZnO)n (IGZO) nanostructures have great potential for various electrical and optical applications. This paper demonstrates for the first time, to our knowledge, a non-vacuum route for the synthesis of IGZO nanowires by annealing ZnO nanowires covered with solution-based IGZO precursor. This method results in nanowires with highly periodic IGZO superlattice structure. The phase transition of IGZO precursor during thermal treatment was systematically studied. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal that the formation of the IGZO structure is driven by anisotropic inter-diffusion of In, Ga, and Zn atoms, and also by the crystallization of the IGZO precursor. Optical measurements using cathodoluminescence and UV-vis spectroscopy confirm that the nanowires consist of the IGZO compound with wide optical band gap and suppressed luminescence.

Nickel Nanowire@Porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} Nanorods Arrays Grown on Nickel Foam as Efficient Pseudocapacitor Electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Zhang, Jun; Liu, Xiang; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao, E-mail: nanoguy@126.com [Faculty of Physics and Electronic Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Ferro & Piezoelectric Materials and Devices, Hubei University, Wuhan (China)

2017-12-13

A three dimensional hierarchical nanostructure composed of nickel nanowires and porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods arrays on the surface of nickel foam is successfully fabricated by a facile route. In this structure, the nickel nanowires are used as core materials to support high-pseudocapacitance NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods and construct the well-defined NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods shell/nickel nanowires core hierarchical structure on nickel foam. Benefiting from the participation of nickel nanowires, the nickel nanowire@NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Ni foam electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance (7.4 F cm{sup −2} at 5 mA cm{sup −2}), excellent rate capability (88.04% retained at 100 mA cm{sup −2}), and good cycling stability (74.08% retained after 1,500 cycles). The superior electrochemical properties made it promising as electrode for supercapacitors.

Direct injection in organic SU8 nanowires and nanotubes for waveguiding properties investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Bigeon, J.; Huby, N.; Duvail, Jean-Luc; Bêche, Bruno

2014-05-01

We report photonic concepts related to injection and sub-wavelength propagation in nanofibers (nanowires and nanotubes). These nanostructures are fabricated by the wetting template method leading to aspect ratio of over 250. At first, injection into nanowires and nanotubes of SU8, a photoresist used for integrated photonics, was successfully achieved by using polymer microlensed fibers with sub-micronic radius of curvature. Theoret- ical simulation by finite domain time-dependent (FDTD) method was used to determine the sub-wavelength propagation for nanowires and nanotubes and corroborate this coupling phenomena. The original confinement of energy density into SU8 nanotubes is highlighted. Finally, characterisation of propagation losses is reported by using a cut-back method transposed to such nanotubes and determined to range between 1 and 2 dB/mm. Both injection and cut-back method developed here are compatible with any sub-micronic structures. This work on SU8 nanofibers suggests broader perspectives for future nanophotonics.

Synthesis, microstructure, and physical properties of metallic barcode nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Bum Chul; Kim, Young Keun

2017-05-01

With rapid progress in nanotechnology, nanostructured materials have come closer to our life. Single-component nanowires are actively investigated because of their novel properties, attributed to their nanoscale dimensions and adjustable aspect ratio, but their technical limitations cannot be resolved easily. Heterostructured nanomaterials gained attention as alternatives because they can improve the existing single-component structure or add new functions to it. Among them, barcode nanowires (BNWs), comprising at least two different functional segments, can perform multiple functions for use in biomedical sensors, information encoding and security, and catalysts. BNW applications require reliable response to the external field. Hence, researchers have been attempting to improve the reliability of synthesis and regulate the properties precisely. This article highlights the recent progress and prospects for the synthesis, properties, and applications of metallic BNWs with focus on the dependence of the magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties on material, composition, shape, and microstructure.

Developing 1D nanostructure arrays for future nanophotonics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cooke DG

2006-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractThere is intense and growing interest in one-dimensional (1-D nanostructures from the perspective of their synthesis and unique properties, especially with respect to their excellent optical response and an ability to form heterostructures. This review discusses alternative approaches to preparation and organization of such structures, and their potential properties. In particular, molecular-scale printing is highlighted as a method for creating organized pre-cursor structure for locating nanowires, as well as vapor–liquid–solid (VLS templated growth using nano-channel alumina (NCA, and deposition of 1-D structures with glancing angle deposition (GLAD. As regards novel optical properties, we discuss as an example, finite size photonic crystal cavity structures formed from such nanostructure arrays possessing highQand small mode volume, and being ideal for developing future nanolasers.

Passivation of ZnO Nanowire Guests and 3D Inverse Opal Host Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Labouchere, Philippe; Chandiran, Aravind Kumar; Moehl, Thomas; Harms, Hauke; Chavhan, Sudam; Tena-Zaera, Ramon; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad Khaja; Graetzel, Michael; Tetreault, Nicolas

2014-01-01

A hierarchical host-guest nanostructured photoanode is reported for dye-sensitized solar cells. It is composed of ZnO nanowires grown in situ into the macropores of a 3D ZnO inverse opal structure, which acts both as a seed layer and as a conductive

Synthesis, structure, and optical properties of manganese phthalocyanine thin films and nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Meng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc nanostructures with different morphologies were prepared on porous anodic alumina oxide (AAO at different substrate temperature (Ts=50 ℃, 80 ℃, 120 ℃, 180 ℃, 240 ℃ in an organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD system. The nanostructures morphologies were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and the results showed that the nanostructures morphologies could be modulated by the control of Ts, as a result, the continuous film was obtained at 50 ℃, whereas the nanorods (NRs, nanoribbons (NBs, nanowires (NWs, nanosheets (NSs and nanoparticles (NPs were facilely generated as Ts increased. At the same time, the density and the uniformity of the nanostructures decreased. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD indicated that only the β-phase polymorph formed throughout the growth process irrelevant to the Ts. Additionally, the ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis absorption spectra demonstrated that the main absorption bands of MnPc nanostructures showed a remarkable band broadening as the Ts was increased.

Suspended tungsten-based nanowires with enhanced mechanical properties grown by focused ion beam induced deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Córdoba, Rosa; Lorenzoni, Matteo; Pablo-Navarro, Javier; Magén, César; Pérez-Murano, Francesc; María De Teresa, José

2017-11-01

The implementation of three-dimensional (3D) nano-objects as building blocks for the next generation of electro-mechanical, memory and sensing nano-devices is at the forefront of technology. The direct writing of functional 3D nanostructures is made feasible by using a method based on focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID). We use this technique to grow horizontally suspended tungsten nanowires and then study their nano-mechanical properties by three-point bending method with atomic force microscopy. These measurements reveal that these nanowires exhibit a yield strength up to 12 times higher than that of the bulk tungsten, and near the theoretical value of 0.1 times the Young’s modulus (E). We find a size dependence of E that is adequately described by a core-shell model, which has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and compositional analysis at the nanoscale. Additionally, we show that experimental resonance frequencies of suspended nanowires (in the MHz range) are in good agreement with theoretical values. These extraordinary mechanical properties are key to designing electro-mechanically robust nanodevices based on FIBID tungsten nanowires.

Synthesis, characterization, and applications of electroactive polymeric nanostructures for organic coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Suryawanshi, Abhijit Jagnnath

Electroactive polymers (EAP) such as polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PANI) are being explored intensively in the scientific community. Nanostructures of EAPs have low dimensions and high surface area enabling them to be considered for various useful applications. These applications are in several fields including corrosion inhibition, capacitors, artificial muscles, solar cells, polymer light emitting diodes, and energy storage devices. Nanostructures of EAPs have been synthesized in different morphologies such as nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanospheres, and nanocapsules. This variety in morphology is traditionally achieved using soft templates, such as surfactant micelles, or hard templates, such as anodized aluminum oxide (AAO). Templates provide stability and groundwork from which the polymer can grow, but the templates add undesirable expense to the process and can change the properties of the nanoparticles by integrating its own properties. In this study a template free method is introduced to synthesize EAP nanostructures of PPy and PANI utilizing ozone oxidation. The simple techniques involve ozone exposure to the monomer solution to produce aqueous dispersions of EAP nanostructures. The synthesized nanostructures exhibit uniform morphology, low particle size distribution, and stability against agglomeration. Ozone oxidation is further explored for the synthesis of silver-PPy (Ag-PPy) core-shell nanospheres (CSNs). Coatings containing PPy nanospheres were formulated to study the corrosion inhibition efficiency of PPy nanospheres. Investigation of the coatings using electrochemical techniques revealed that the PPy nanospheres may provide corrosion inhibition against filiform corrosion by oxygen scavenging mechanism. Finally, organic corrosion inhibitors were incorporated in PPy to develop efficient corrosion inhibiting systems, by using the synergistic effects from PPy and organic corrosion inhibitors.

Metal-dielectric-CNT nanowires for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Tiziana C.; Altun, Ali; Park, Hyung Gyu

2017-10-03

A sensor with a substrate includes nanowires extending vertically from the substrate, a hafnia coating on the nanowires that provides hafnia coated nanowires, and a noble metal coating on the hafnia coated nanowires. The top of the hafnia and noble metal coated nanowires bent onto one another to create a canopy forest structure. There are numerous randomly arranged holes that let through scattered light. The many points of contact, hot spots, amplify signals. The methods include the steps of providing a Raman spectroscopy substrate, introducing nano crystals to the Raman spectroscopy substrate, growing a forest of nanowires from the nano crystals on the Raman spectroscopy substrate, coating the nanowires with hafnia providing hafnia coated nanowires, and coating the hafnia coated nanowires with a noble metal or other metal.

DFT study of anisotropy effects on the electronic properties of diamond nanowires with nitrogen-vacancy center.

Science.gov (United States)

Solano, Jesús Ramírez; Baños, Alejandro Trejo; Durán, Álvaro Miranda; Quiroz, Eliel Carvajal; Irisson, Miguel Cruz

2017-09-26

In the development of quantum computing and communications, improvements in materials capable of single photon emission are of great importance. Advances in single photon emission have been achieved experimentally by introducing nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) centers on diamond nanostructures. However, theoretical modeling of the anisotropic effects on the electronic properties of these materials is almost nonexistent. In this study, the electronic band structure and density of states of diamond nanowires with N-V defects were analyzed through first principles approach using the density functional theory and the supercell scheme. The nanowires were modeled on two growth directions [001] and [111]. All surface dangling bonds were passivated with hydrogen (H) atoms. The results show that the N-V introduces multiple trap states within the energy band gap of the diamond nanowire. The energy difference between these states is influenced by the growth direction of the nanowires, which could contribute to the emission of photons with different wavelengths. The presence of these trap states could reduce the recombination rate between the conduction and the valence band, thus favoring the single photon emission. Graphical abstract Diamond nanowires with nitrogen-vacancy centerᅟ.

Preparation and Use of Photocatalytically Active Segmented Ag|ZnO and Coaxial TiO2-Ag Nanowires Made by Templated Electrodeposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maijenburg, A.W.; Rodijk, E.J.B.; Maas, M.G.; ten Elshof, Johan E.

2014-01-01

Photocatalytically active nanostructures require a large specific surface area with the presence of many catalytically active sites for the oxidation and reduction half reactions, and fast electron (hole) diffusion and charge separation. Nanowires present suitable architectures to meet these

Probing of O2 vacancy defects and correlated magnetic, electrical and photoresponse properties in indium-tin oxide nanostructures by spectroscopic techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Shyamsundar; Dev, Bhupendra Nath

2018-05-01

Indium-tin oxide (ITO) 1D nanostructures with tunable morphologies i.e. nanorods, nanocombs and nanowires are grown on c-axis (0 0 0 1) sapphire (Al2O3) substrate in oxygen deficient atmosphere through pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique and the effect of oxygen vacancies on optical, electrical, magnetic and photoresponse properties is investigated using spectroscopic methods. ITO nanostructures are found to be enriched with significant oxygen vacancy defects as evident from X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopic analysis. Photoluminescence spectra exhibited intense mid-band blue emission at wavelength of region of 400-450 nm due to the electronic transition from conduction band maxima (CBM) to the singly ionized oxygen-vacancy (VO+) defect level within the band-gap. Interestingly, ITO nanostructures exhibited significant room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) and the magnetic moment found proportional to concentration of VO+ defects which indicates VO+ defects are mainly responsible for the observed RTFM in nanostructures. ITO nanowires being enriched with more VO+ defects exhibited strongest RTFM as compared to other morphologies. Current voltage (I-V) characteristics of ITO nanostructures showed an enhancement of current under UV light as compared to dark which indicates such 1D nanostructure can be used as photovoltaic material. Hence, the study shows that there is ample opportunity to tailor the properties of ITOs through proper defect engineering's and such photosensitive ferromagnetic semiconductors might be promising for spintronic and photovoltaic applications.

Extraordinary Magnetic Field Enhancement with Metallic Nanowire: Role of Surface Impedance in Babinet's Principle for Sub-Skin-Depth Regime

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, Sukmo; Kumar, M. Sathish; Shin, Jonghwa; Kim, Daisik; Park, Namkyoo

2009-12-01

We propose and analyze the “complementary” structure of a metallic nanogap, namely, the metallic nanowire for magnetic field enhancement. A huge enhancement of the field up to a factor of 300 was achieved. Introducing the surface impedance concept, we also develop and numerically confirm a new analytic theory which successfully predicts the field enhancement factors for metal nanostructures. Compared to the predictions of the classical Babinet principle applied to a nanogap, an order of magnitude difference in the field enhancement factor was observed for the sub-skin-depth regime nanowire.

Atomistic theory of excitonic fine structure in InAs/InP nanowire quantum dot molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Świderski, M.; Zieliński, M.

2017-03-01

Nanowire quantum dots have peculiar electronic and optical properties. In this work we use atomistic tight binding to study excitonic spectra of artificial molecules formed by a double nanowire quantum dot. We demonstrate a key role of atomistic symmetry and nanowire substrate orientation rather than cylindrical shape symmetry of a nanowire and a molecule. In particular for [001 ] nanowire orientation we observe a nonvanishing bright exciton splitting for a quasimolecule formed by two cylindrical quantum dots of different heights. This effect is due to interdot coupling that effectively reduces the overall symmetry, whereas single uncoupled [001 ] quantum dots have zero fine structure splitting. We found that the same double quantum dot system grown on [111 ] nanowire reveals no excitonic fine structure for all considered quantum dot distances and individual quantum dot heights. Further we demonstrate a pronounced, by several orders of magnitude, increase of the dark exciton optical activity in a quantum dot molecule as compared to a single quantum dot. For [111 ] systems we also show spontaneous localization of single particle states in one of nominally identical quantum dots forming a molecule, which is mediated by strain and origins from the lack of the vertical inversion symmetry in [111 ] nanostructures of overall C3 v symmetry. Finally, we study lowering of symmetry due to alloy randomness that triggers nonzero excitonic fine structure and the dark exciton optical activity in realistic nanowire quantum dot molecules of intermixed composition.

Scaling behavior of the thermal conductivity of width-modulated nanowires and nanofilms for heat transfer control at the nanoscale.

Science.gov (United States)

Zianni, Xanthippi; Jean, Valentin; Termentzidis, Konstantinos; Lacroix, David

2014-11-21

We report on scaling behavior of the thermal conductivity of width-modulated nanowires and nanofilms that have been studied with the phonon Monte Carlo technique. It has been found that the reduction of the thermal conductivity scales with the nanostructure transmissivity, a property entirely determined by the modulation geometry, irrespectively of the material choice. Tuning of the thermal conductivity is possible by the nanostructure width-modulation without strict limitations for the modulation profile. In addition, a very significant constriction thermal resistance due to width-discontinuity has been identified, in analogy to the contact thermal resistance between two dissimilar materials. The constriction thermal resistance also scales with the modulated nanostructure transmissivity. Our conclusions are generic indicating that a wide range of materials can be used for the modulated nanostructures. Direct heat flow control can be provided by designing the nanostructure width-modulation.

Semiconducting silicon nanowires for biomedical applications

CERN Document Server

Coffer, JL

2014-01-01

Biomedical applications have benefited greatly from the increasing interest and research into semiconducting silicon nanowires. Semiconducting Silicon Nanowires for Biomedical Applications reviews the fabrication, properties, and applications of this emerging material. The book begins by reviewing the basics, as well as the growth, characterization, biocompatibility, and surface modification, of semiconducting silicon nanowires. It goes on to focus on silicon nanowires for tissue engineering and delivery applications, including cellular binding and internalization, orthopedic tissue scaffol

Radiation effects in bulk and nanostructured silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holmstrom, E.

2012-07-01

Understanding radiation effects in silicon (Si) is of great technological importance. The material, being the basis of modern semiconductor electronics and photonics, is subjected to radiation already at the processing stage, and in many applications throughout the lifetime of the manufactured component. Despite decades of research, many fundamental questions on the subject are still not satisfactorily answered, and new ones arise constantly as device fabrication shifts towards the nanoscale. In this study, methods of computational physics are harnessed to tackle basic questions on the radiation response of bulk and nanostructured Si systems, as well as to explain atomic-scale phenomena underlying existing experimental results. Empirical potentials and quantum mechanical models are coupled with molecular dynamics simulations to model the response of Si to irradiation and to characterize the created crystal damage. The threshold displacement energy, i.e., the smallest recoil energy required to create a lattice defect, is determined in Si bulk and nanowires, in the latter system also as a function of mechanical strain. It is found that commonly used values for this quantity are drastically underestimated. Strain on the nanowire causes the threshold energy to drop, with an effect on defect production that is significantly higher than in an another nanostructure with similar dimensions, the carbon nanotube. Simulating ion irradiation of Si nanowires reveals that the large surface area to volume ratio of the nanostructure causes up to a three-fold enhancement in defect production as compared to bulk Si. Amorphous defect clusters created by energetic neutron bombardment are predicted, on the basis of their electronic structure and abundance, to cause a deleterious phenomenon called type inversion in Si strip detectors in high-energy physics experiments. The thinning of Si lamellae using a focused ion beam is studied in conjunction with experiment to unravel the cause for

Structural characterization of one-dimensional ZnO-based nanostructures grown by MOCVD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sallet, Vincent; Falyouni, Farid; Marzouki, Ali; Haneche, Nadia; Sartel, Corinne; Lusson, Alain; Galtier, Pierre [Groupe d' Etude de la Matiere Condensee (GEMAC), CNRS-Universite de Versailles St-Quentin, Meudon (France); Agouram, Said [SCSIE, Universitat de Valencia, Burjassot (Spain); Enouz-Vedrenne, Shaima [Thales Research and Technology France, Palaiseau (France); Munoz-Sanjose, Vicente [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada y Electromagnetismo, Universitat de Valencia, Burjassot (Spain)

2010-07-15

Various one-dimensional (1D) ZnO-based nanostructures, including ZnO nano-wires (NWs) grown using vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) process, ZnO/ZnSe core/shell, nitrogen-doped ZnO and ZnMgO NWs were grown by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis is presented. For all the samples, a high crystalline quality is observed. Some features are emphasized such as the gold contamination of ZnO wires grown under the metal droplets in the VLS process. It is concluded that MOCVD is a suitable technique for the realization of original ZnO nanodevices. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Formation of crystalline InGaO_3(ZnO)_n nanowires via the solid-phase diffusion process using a solution-based precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Yujie; Seo, Jin Won; Bilzen, Bart Van; Locquet, Jean Pierre

2015-01-01

One-dimensional single crystalline InGaO_3(ZnO)_n (IGZO) nanostructures have great potential for various electrical and optical applications. This paper demonstrates for the first time, to our knowledge, a non-vacuum route for the synthesis of IGZO nanowires by annealing ZnO nanowires covered with solution-based IGZO precursor. This method results in nanowires with highly periodic IGZO superlattice structure. The phase transition of IGZO precursor during thermal treatment was systematically studied. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal that the formation of the IGZO structure is driven by anisotropic inter-diffusion of In, Ga, and Zn atoms, and also by the crystallization of the IGZO precursor. Optical measurements using cathodoluminescence and UV-vis spectroscopy confirm that the nanowires consist of the IGZO compound with wide optical band gap and suppressed luminescence. (paper)

In-silico investigation of Rayleigh instability in ultra-thin copper nanowire in premelting regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutta, Amlan [Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Chatterjee, Swastika; Raychaudhuri, A. K. [Unit for Nanoscience and Technology, Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Moitra, Amitava [Thematic Unit of Excellence on Computational Materials Science, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India); Saha-Dasgupta, T. [Thematic Unit of Excellence on Computational Materials Science, and Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India)

2014-06-28

Motivated by the recent experimental reports, we explore the formation of Rayleigh-like instability in metallic nanowires during the solid state annealing, a concept originally introduced for liquid columns. Our molecular dynamics study using realistic interatomic potential reveals instability induced pattern formation at temperatures even below the melting temperature of the wire, in accordance with the experimental observations. We find that this is driven by the surface diffusion, which causes plastic slips in the system initiating necking in the nanowire. We further find the surface dominated mass-transport is of subdiffusive nature with time exponent less than unity. Our study provides an atomistic perspective of the instability formation in nanostructured solid phase.

Preparation and characterization of titania based nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stengl, Vaclav; Bakardjieva, Snejana; Murafa, Natalie; Vecernikova, Eva; Subrt, Jan; Balek, Vladimir

2007-01-01

A new method for preparation of titania nanowires with diameter around 10 nm and length up to 2-3 μm is described. The precursor was prepared from sodium titanate by adding ethylene glycole (EG) and heating at temperature of 198 deg. C for 6 h under reflux. The sodium titanate glycolate formed by this way aggregated into 1D nanostructures and was subsequently transformed into titania glycolate during a chemical treatment with 98% sulfuric acid. Titania nanowires with variable amount of anatase and rutile were prepared by heating to temperatures in the range 350-1000 deg. C. The precursor as well as titania based samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, High resolution transmission microscopy, Thermogravimetry, Differential thermal analysis, Evolved gas analysis and Emanation thermal analysis. The nitrogen adsorption/desorption was used for surface area and porosity determination. The photoactivity of the prepared titania samples was assessed by the photocatalytic decomposition of 4-chlorophenol in an aqueous slurry under UV irradiation of 365 nm wavelength

Growth of wurtzite CdTe nanowires on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrates and room-temperature bandgap parameter determination

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Seon Bin; Song, Man Suk; Kim, Yong

2018-04-01

The growth of CdTe nanowires, catalyzed by Sn, was achieved on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass by physical vapor transport. CdTe nanowires grew along the 〈0001〉 direction, with a very rare and phase-pure wurtzite structure, at 290 °C. CdTe nanowires grew under Te-limited conditions by forming SnTe nanostructures in the catalysts and the wurtzite structure was energetically favored. By polarization-dependent and power-dependent micro-photoluminescence measurements of individual nanowires, heavy and light hole-related transitions could be differentiated, and the fundamental bandgap of wurtzite CdTe at room temperature was determined to be 1.562 eV, which was 52 meV higher than that of zinc-blende CdTe. From the analysis of doublet photoluminescence spectra, the valence band splitting energy between heavy hole and light hole bands was estimated to be 43 meV.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruna, R., E-mail: rpruna@el.ub.edu; Palacio, F.; López, M. [SIC, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Pérez, J. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Mir, M. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, E-28029 Madrid (Spain); Blázquez, O.; Hernández, S.; Garrido, B. [MIND-IN" 2UB, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2016-08-08

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruna, R.; Palacio, F.; López, M.; Pérez, J.; Mir, M.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Blázquez, O.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Hernández, S.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Garrido, B.

2016-01-01

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

Superhydrophobic SERS substrates based on silicon hierarchical nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xuexian; Wen, Jinxiu; Zhou, Jianhua; Zheng, Zebo; An, Di; Wang, Hao; Xie, Weiguang; Zhan, Runze; Xu, Ningsheng; Chen, Jun; She, Juncong; Chen, Huanjun; Deng, Shaozhi

2018-02-01

Silicon nanostructures have been cultivated as promising surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates in terms of their low-loss optical resonance modes, facile functionalization, and compatibility with today’s state-of-the-art CMOS techniques. However, unlike their plasmonic counterparts, the electromagnetic field enhancements induced by silicon nanostructures are relatively small, which restrict their SERS sensing limit to around 10-7 M. To tackle this problem, we propose here a strategy for improving the SERS performance of silicon nanostructures by constructing silicon hierarchical nanostructures with a superhydrophobic surface. The hierarchical nanostructures are binary structures consisted of silicon nanowires (NWs) grown on micropyramids (MPs). After being modified with perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOT), the nanostructure surface shows a stable superhydrophobicity with a high contact angle of ˜160°. The substrate can allow for concentrating diluted analyte solutions into a specific area during the evaporation of the liquid droplet, whereby the analytes are aggregated into a small volume and can be easily detected by the silicon nanostructure SERS substrate. The analyte molecules (methylene blue: MB) enriched from an aqueous solution lower than 10-8 M can be readily detected. Such a detection limit is ˜100-fold lower than the conventional SERS substrates made of silicon nanostructures. Additionally, the detection limit can be further improved by functionalizing gold nanoparticles onto silicon hierarchical nanostructures, whereby the superhydrophobic characteristics and plasmonic field enhancements can be combined synergistically to give a detection limit down to ˜10-11 M. A gold nanoparticle-functionalized superhydrophobic substrate was employed to detect the spiked melamine in liquid milk. The results showed that the detection limit can be as low as 10-5 M, highlighting the potential of the proposed superhydrophobic SERS substrate in

All-solid-state thin film battery based on well-aligned slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires fabricated by glancing angle deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Miyoung [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seunghwan [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Daehee [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Joosun, E-mail: joosun@kist.re.kr [High Temperature Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Jooho, E-mail: jmoon@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-01

Graphical abstract: We successfully fabricated well-aligned slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires as a one-dimensional nanostructured cathode by glancing angle deposition to enhance the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state thin film batteries. - Highlights: • Well-aligned slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires are fabricated by glancing angle deposition. • One-dimensional nanostructured LiCoO{sub 2} cathode enlarges the contact area. • All-solid-state thin film battery exhibits enhances rate capability and cycling stability. - Abstract: We fabricated all-solid-state thin film batteries based on well-aligned slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires by glancing angle deposition, as a facile template-free method in order to increase the electrochemically active site, i.e., the contact area between the solid electrolyte and the electrode. A highly porous thin film composed of well-separated slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires not only facilitates the penetration of solid electrolyte phase into the cathode, but also alleviates the thermally and mechanically induced stresses during post-annealing and electrochemical cycling. The all-solid-state thin film battery based on the well-aligned slanted LiCoO{sub 2} nanowires, whose contact area between electrolyte and electrode was three times as high as that of a dense thin film, could provide additional migration pathways for lithium ion diffusion due to the enlarged reaction sites. This resulted in enhanced electrochemical kinetics, thereby leading to better rate capability and long-term cyclic stability as compared to the dense LiCoO{sub 2} thin film.

Single-crystal apatite nanowires sheathed in graphitic shells: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Namjo; Cha, Misun; Park, Yun Chang; Lee, Kyung Mee; Lee, Jae Hyup; Park, Byong Chon; Lee, Junghoon

2013-07-23

Vertically aligned one-dimensional hybrid structures, which are composed of apatite and graphitic structures, can be beneficial for orthopedic applications. However, they are difficult to generate using the current method. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single-crystal apatite nanowire encapsulated in graphitic shells by a one-step chemical vapor deposition. Incipient nucleation of apatite and its subsequent transformation to an oriented crystal are directed by derived gaseous phosphorine. Longitudinal growth of the oriented apatite crystal is achieved by a vapor-solid growth mechanism, whereas lateral growth is suppressed by the graphitic layers formed through arrangement of the derived aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. We show that this unusual combination of the apatite crystal and the graphitic shells can lead to an excellent osteogenic differentiation and bony fusion through a programmed smart behavior. For instance, the graphitic shells are degraded after the initial cell growth promoted by the graphitic nanostructures, and the cells continue proliferation on the bare apatite nanowires. Furthermore, a bending experiment indicates that such core-shell nanowires exhibited a superior bending stiffness compared to single-crystal apatite nanowires without graphitic shells. The results suggest a new strategy and direction for bone grafting materials with a highly controllable morphology and material conditions that can best stimulate bone cell differentiation and growth.

Stepwise Nanopore Evolution in One-Dimensional Nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Choi, Jang Wook

2010-04-14

We report that established simple lithium (Li) ion battery cycles can be used to produce nanopores inside various useful one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures such as zinc oxide, silicon, and silver nanowires. Moreover, porosities of these 1D nanomaterials can be controlled in a stepwise manner by the number of Li-battery cycles. Subsequent pore characterization at the end of each cycle allows us to obtain detailed snapshots of the distinct pore evolution properties in each material due to their different atomic diffusion rates and types of chemical bonds. Also, this stepwise characterization led us to the first observation of pore size increases during cycling, which can be interpreted as a similar phenomenon to Ostwald ripening in analogous nanoparticle cases. Finally, we take advantage of the unique combination of nanoporosity and 1D materials and demonstrate nanoporous silicon nanowires (poSiNWs) as excellent supercapacitor (SC) electrodes in high power operations compared to existing devices with activated carbon. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

A general soft-enveloping strategy in the templating synthesis of mesoporous metal nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Jixiang; Zhang, Lingling; Li, Jiang; Lu, Lu; Ma, Chuansheng; Cheng, Shaodong; Li, Zhiyuan; Xiong, Qihua; You, Hongjun

2018-02-06

Metal species have a relatively high mobility inside mesoporous silica; thus, it is difficult to introduce the metal precursors into silica mesopores and suppress the migration of metal species during a reduction process. Therefore, until now, the controlled growth of metal nanocrystals in a confined space, i.e., mesoporous channels, has been very challenging. Here, by using a soft-enveloping reaction at the interfaces of the solid, liquid, and solution phases, we successfully control the growth of metallic nanocrystals inside a mesoporous silica template. Diverse monodispersed nanostructures with well-defined sizes and shapes, including Ag nanowires, 3D mesoporous Au, AuAg alloys, Pt networks, and Au nanoparticle superlattices are successfully obtained. The 3D mesoporous AuAg networks exhibit enhanced catalytic activities in an electrochemical methanol oxidation reaction. The current soft-enveloping synthetic strategy offers a robust approach to synthesize diverse mesoporous metal nanostructures that can be utilized in catalysis, optics, and biomedicine applications.

Observations of the Kondo effect and its coexistence with ferromagnetism in a magnetically undoped metal oxide nanostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Sapkota, Keshab R.; Maloney, F. Scott; Wang, Wenyong

2018-04-01

In this work, we report unusual observations of Kondo effect and coexistence of Kondo effect and ferromagnetism in indium tin oxide (ITO) nanowires that were synthesized without incorporating any magnetic impurities. The temperature-dependent resistivity (ρ -T ) data exhibited an upturn below 80 K and then tended to saturate below 10 K. The ρ -T and magnetoresistance data were analyzed using the n -channel Kondo model, and from the obtained values of S =1 and n ˜1 , the nanowires were expected to be an underscreened Kondo system. A model was also proposed to explain the formation of localized S =1 spin centers in the ITO nanowires. This work could provide insights into the understanding of spin-related novel phenomena in metal oxide nanostructures.

Methods for synthesizing metal oxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Sunkara, Mahendra Kumar; Kumar, Vivekanand; Kim, Jeong H.; Clark, Ezra Lee

2016-08-09

A method of synthesizing a metal oxide nanowire includes the steps of: combining an amount of a transition metal or a transition metal oxide with an amount of an alkali metal compound to produce a mixture; activating a plasma discharge reactor to create a plasma discharge; exposing the mixture to the plasma discharge for a first predetermined time period such that transition metal oxide nanowires are formed; contacting the transition metal oxide nanowires with an acid solution such that an alkali metal ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion on each of the transition metal oxide nanowires; and exposing the transition metal oxide nanowires to the plasma discharge for a second predetermined time period to thermally anneal the transition metal oxide nanowires. Transition metal oxide nanowires produced using the synthesis methods described herein are also provided.

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kan Caixia [College of Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211100 (China); Zhu Jiejun [Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhu Xiaoguang [Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)], E-mail: cxkan@nuaa.edu.cn

2008-08-07

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {l_brace}100{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {l_brace}1 0 0{r_brace} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Semi-automated quantification of living cells with internalized nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Margineanu, Michael B.

2016-01-15

Background Nanostructures fabricated by different methods have become increasingly important for various applications in biology and medicine, such as agents for medical imaging or cancer therapy. In order to understand their interaction with living cells and their internalization kinetics, several attempts have been made in tagging them. Although methods have been developed to measure the number of nanostructures internalized by the cells, there are only few approaches aimed to measure the number of cells that internalize the nanostructures, and they are usually limited to fixed-cell studies. Flow cytometry can be used for live-cell assays on large populations of cells, however it is a single time point measurement, and does not include any information about cell morphology. To date many of the observations made on internalization events are limited to few time points and cells. Results In this study, we present a method for quantifying cells with internalized magnetic nanowires (NWs). A machine learning-based computational framework, CellCognition, is adapted and used to classify cells with internalized and no internalized NWs, labeled with the fluorogenic pH-dependent dye pHrodo™ Red, and subsequently to determine the percentage of cells with internalized NWs at different time points. In a “proof-of-concept”, we performed a study on human colon carcinoma HCT 116 cells and human epithelial cervical cancer HeLa cells interacting with iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) NWs. Conclusions This study reports a novel method for the quantification of cells that internalize a specific type of nanostructures. This approach is suitable for high-throughput and real-time data analysis and has the potential to be used to study the interaction of different types of nanostructures in live-cell assays.

In situ fabrication of Ni-Co (oxy)hydroxide nanowire-supported nanoflake arrays and their application in supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Xiaoyu; Quan, Honglin; Li, Xiaoxin; He, Hai; Ye, Qinglan; Xu, Xuetang; Wang, Fan

2016-09-29

Three-dimensional (3D) hybrid nanostructured arrays grown on a flexible substrate have recently attracted great attention owing to their potential application as supercapacitor electrodes in portable and wearable electronic devices. Here, we report an in situ conversion of Ni-Co active electrode materials for the fabrication of high-performance electrodes. Ni-Co carbonate hydroxide nanowire arrays on carbon cloth were initially synthesized via a hydrothermal method, and they were gradually converted to Ni-Co (oxy)hydroxide nanowire-supported nanoflake arrays after soaking in an alkaline solution. The evolution of the supercapacitor performance of the soaked electrode was investigated in detail. The areal capacitance increases from 281 mF cm -2 at 1 mA cm -2 to 3710 and 3900 mF cm -2 after soaking for 36 h and 48 h, respectively. More interestingly, the electrode also shows an increased capacitance with charge/discharge cycles due to the long-time soaking in KOH solution, suggesting novel cycling durability. The enhancement in capacitive performance should be related to the formation of a unique nanowire-supported nanoflake array architecture, which controls the agglomeration of nanoflakes, making them fully activated. As a result, the facile in situ fabrication of the hybrid architectural design in this study provides a new approach to fabricate high-performance Ni/Co based hydroxide nanostructure arrays for next-generation energy storage devices.

Metal oxide nanostructures: preparation, characterization and functional applications as chemical sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zappa, Dario; Bertuna, Angela; Comini, Elisabetta; Kaur, Navpreet; Poli, Nicola; Sberveglieri, Veronica; Sberveglieri, Giorgio

2017-01-01

Preparation and characterization of different metal oxide (NiO, WO 3 , ZnO, SnO 2 and Nb 2 O 5 ) nanostructures for chemical sensing are presented. p-Type (NiO) and n-type (WO 3 , SnO 2 , ZnO and Nb 2 O 5 ) metal oxide nanostructures were grown on alumina substrates using evaporation-condensation, thermal oxidation and hydrothermal techniques. Surface morphologies and crystal structures were investigated through scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, different batches of sensors have been prepared, and their sensing performances towards carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide have been explored. Moreover, metal oxide nanowires have been integrated into an electronic nose and successfully applied to discriminate between drinking and contaminated water.

Shape-dependent conversion efficiency of Si nanowire solar cells with polygonal cross-sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yan; Yu, Wangbing; Ouyang, Gang

2016-01-01

A deeper insight into shape-dependent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Si nanowire (SiNW) solar cells with polygonal cross-sectional shapes, including trigon, tetragon, hexagon, and circle, has been explored based on the atomic-bond-relaxation approach and detailed balance principle. It has been found that the surface effect induced by the loss-coordination atoms located at edges and surfaces, as well as the thermal effect, plays the dominant roles for the band shift and PCE of SiNWs due to the lattice strain occurrence at the self-equilibrium state. Our predictions are consistent with the available evidences, providing an important advance in the development of Si-based nanostructures for the desirable applications.

Direct observation of single-charge-detection capability of nanowire field-effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Salfi, J; Savelyev, I G; Blumin, M; Nair, S V; Ruda, H E

2010-10-01

A single localized charge can quench the luminescence of a semiconductor nanowire, but relatively little is known about the effect of single charges on the conductance of the nanowire. In one-dimensional nanostructures embedded in a material with a low dielectric permittivity, the Coulomb interaction and excitonic binding energy are much larger than the corresponding values when embedded in a material with the same dielectric permittivity. The stronger Coulomb interaction is also predicted to limit the carrier mobility in nanowires. Here, we experimentally isolate and study the effect of individual localized electrons on carrier transport in InAs nanowire field-effect transistors, and extract the equivalent charge sensitivity. In the low carrier density regime, the electrostatic potential produced by one electron can create an insulating weak link in an otherwise conducting nanowire field-effect transistor, modulating its conductance by as much as 4,200% at 31 K. The equivalent charge sensitivity, 4 × 10(-5) e Hz(-1/2) at 25 K and 6 × 10(-5) e Hz(-1/2) at 198 K, is orders of magnitude better than conventional field-effect transistors and nanoelectromechanical systems, and is just a factor of 20-30 away from the record sensitivity for state-of-the-art single-electron transistors operating below 4 K (ref. 8). This work demonstrates the feasibility of nanowire-based single-electron memories and illustrates a physical process of potential relevance for high performance chemical sensors. The charge-state-detection capability we demonstrate also makes the nanowire field-effect transistor a promising host system for impurities (which may be introduced intentionally or unintentionally) with potentially long spin lifetimes, because such transistors offer more sensitive spin-to-charge conversion readout than schemes based on conventional field-effect transistors.

Nonlinear Dynamics of Silicon Nanowire Resonator Considering Nonlocal Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Leisheng; Li, Lijie

2017-12-01

In this work, nonlinear dynamics of silicon nanowire resonator considering nonlocal effect has been investigated. For the first time, dynamical parameters (e.g., resonant frequency, Duffing coefficient, and the damping ratio) that directly influence the nonlinear dynamics of the nanostructure have been derived. Subsequently, by calculating their response with the varied nonlocal coefficient, it is unveiled that the nonlocal effect makes more obvious impacts at the starting range (from zero to a small value), while the impact of nonlocal effect becomes weaker when the nonlocal term reaches to a certain threshold value. Furthermore, to characterize the role played by nonlocal effect in exerting influence on nonlinear behaviors such as bifurcation and chaos (typical phenomena in nonlinear dynamics of nanoscale devices), we have calculated the Lyapunov exponents and bifurcation diagram with and without nonlocal effect, and results shows the nonlocal effect causes the most significant effect as the device is at resonance. This work advances the development of nanowire resonators that are working beyond linear regime.

Mesoporous nickel oxide nanowires: hydrothermal synthesis, characterisation and applications for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors with superior performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Dawei; Kim, Hyun-Soo; Kim, Woo-Seong; Wang, Guoxiu

2012-06-25

Mesoporous nickel oxide nanowires were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction and subsequent annealing at 400 °C. The porous one-dimensional nanostructures were analysed by field-emission SEM, high-resolution TEM and N(2) adsorption/desorption isotherm measurements. When applied as the anode material in lithium-ion batteries, the as-prepared mesoporous nickel oxide nanowires demonstrated outstanding electrochemical performance with high lithium storage capacity, satisfactory cyclability and an excellent rate capacity. They also exhibited a high specific capacitance of 348 F g(-1) as electrodes in supercapacitors. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Oxidation-etching preparation of MnO2 tubular nanostructures for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jixin; Shi, Wenhui; Xiao, Ni; Rui, Xianhong; Tan, Huiteng; Lu, Xuehong; Hng, Huey Hoon; Ma, Jan; Yan, Qingyu

2012-05-01

1D hierarchical tubular MnO(2) nanostructures have been prepared through a facile hydrothermal method using carbon nanofibres (CNFs) as sacrificial template. The morphology of MnO(2) nanostructures can be adjusted by changing the reaction time or annealing process. Polycrystalline MnO(2) nanotubes are formed with a short reaction time (e.g., 10 min) while hierarchical tubular MnO(2) nanostructures composed of assembled nanosheets are obtained at longer reaction times (>45 min). The polycrystalline MnO(2) nanotubes can be further converted to porous nanobelts and sponge-like nanowires by annealing in air. Among all the types of MnO(2) nanostructures prepared, tubular MnO(2) nanostructures composed of assembled nanosheets show optimized charge storage performance when tested as supercapacitor electrodes, for example, delivering an power density of 13.33 kW·kg(-1) and a energy density of 21.1 Wh·kg(-1) with a long cycling life over 3000 cycles, which is mainly related to their features of large specific surface area and optimized charge transfer pathway.

On the thermal growth and properties of doped TiO2 and In2O3 elongated nanostructures and nanoplates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cremades, A.; Herrera, M.; Bartolomé, J.; Vásquez, G.C.; Maestre, D.; Piqueras, J.

2014-01-01

In this work, the driving forces behind the growth mechanisms of In 2 O 3 and TiO 2 micro- and nano-structures grown by an evaporation–solidification method are discussed. Effective or limited doping incorporation and its influence on the growth and morphology of the low dimensional structures are also assessed. A dislocation driven growth mechanism is proposed for indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO) and zinc doped indium oxide (IZO) nanowires. This growth mechanism is extended to the growth of IZO nano-plates. On the other hand, different low dimensional TiO 2 morphologies, mainly nanowires, needles, and bidimensional leaf-like nanostructures, have been obtained by an anisotropic induced growth. By introducing Cr in the precursor mixture, needles are formed showing stepped lateral faces related to oxygen defect stoichiometry areas as observed by EDS mapping

A Hierarchical Phosphorus Nanobarbed Nanowire Hybrid: Its Structure and Electrochemical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Dan; Li, Beibei; Zhang, Jinying; Li, Xin; Xiao, Dingbin; Fu, Chengcheng; Zhang, Lihui; Li, Zhihui; Li, Jun; Cao, Daxian; Niu, Chunming

2017-06-14

Nanostructured phosphorus-carbon composites are promising materials for Li-ion and Na-ion battery anodes. A hierarchical phosphorus hybrid, SiC@graphene@P, has been synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition of phosphorus on the surfaces of barbed nanowires, where the barbs are vertically grown graphene nanosheets and the cores are SiC nanowires. A temperature-gradient vaporization-condensation method has been used to remove the unhybridized phosphorus particles formed by homogeneous nucleation. The vertically grown barb shaped graphene nanosheets and a high concentration of edge carbon atoms induced a fibrous red phosphorus (f-RP) growth with its {001} planes in parallel to {002} planes of nanographene sheets and led to a strong interpenetrated interface interaction between phosphorus and the surfaces of graphene nanosheets. This hybridization has been demonstrated to significantly enhance the electrochemical performances of phosphorus.

Self-assembled quantum dot structures in a hexagonal nanowire for quantum photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ying; Dou, Xiu-Ming; Wei, Bin; Zha, Guo-Wei; Shang, Xiang-Jun; Wang, Li; Su, Dan; Xu, Jian-Xing; Wang, Hai-Yan; Ni, Hai-Qiao; Sun, Bao-Quan; Ji, Yuan; Han, Xiao-Dong; Niu, Zhi-Chuan

2014-05-01

Two types of quantum nanostructures based on self-assembled GaAs quantumdots embedded into GaAs/AlGaAs hexagonal nanowire systems are reported, opening a new avenue to the fabrication of highly efficient single-photon sources, as well as the design of novel quantum optics experiments and robust quantum optoelectronic devices operating at higher temperature, which are required for practical quantum photonics applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fabrication of shape-controllable polyaniline micro/nanostructures on organic polymer surfaces: obtaining spherical particles, wires, and ribbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Wenbin; Wang, Yongxin; Yan, Yan; Sun, Yufeng; Deng, Jianping; Yang, Wantai

2007-04-19

A novel strategy was developed in order to prepare various micro/nanostructured polyanilines (PANI) on polymer substrates. The strategy involved two main steps, i.e., a grafting polymerization of acrylate acid (AA) onto the surface of a polypropylene (PP) film and subsequently an oxidative polymerization of aniline on the grafted surface. By tuning the conformation of the surface-grafted poly acrylate acid (PAA) brushes, as well as the ratio of AA to aniline, the shape of the PANIs fixated onto the surfaces of the polymer substrate could be controlled to go from spherical particles to nanowires and eventually to nanoribbons. In these structures, the PAA brushes not only acted as templates but also as dopants of PANI, and thereby, the nanostructured PANIs could be strongly bonded with the substrate. In addition, the surface of the PP films grafted with polyaniline nanowires and nanoribbons displayed superhydrophobicity with contact angles for water of approxiamtely 145 and 151 degrees , respectively.

Controlling the Coupling of a Single Nitrogen Vacancy Center to a Silver Nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huck, Alexander; Kumar, Shailesh; Shakoor, Abdul

2011-01-01

Dipole emitters are expected to efficiently couple to the plasmonic mode propagating along a cylindrically shaped metallic nano-structure. Such a strongly coupled system could serve as a fundamental building block for a single photon source on demand and a device enabling strong non-linear intera...... control over the relative nanowire diamond nano-crystal position is achieved by using an atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode operation....

Nanotubes, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanorods of silicon carbide from the wheat husks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qadri, S. B.; Rath, B. B.; Gorzkowski, E. P.; Feng, J.; Qadri, S. N.; Caldwell, J. D. [Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia 20375 (United States)

2015-09-14

Nanotubes, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanorods of SiC were synthesized from the thermal treatment of wheat husks at temperatures in excess of 1450 °C. From the analysis based on x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, it has been found that the processed samples of wheat husk consisted of 2H and 3C polytypes of SiC exhibiting the nanostructure shapes. These nanostructures of silicon carbide formed from wheat husks are of technological importance for designing advance composites, applications in biotechnology, and electro-optics. The thermodynamics of the formation of SiC is discussed in terms of the rapid solid state reaction between hydrocarbons and silica on the molecular scale, which is inherently present in the wheat husks.

Synthesis of Cu Doped ZnO Nanostructures for Ultra Violet Sensing

OpenAIRE

Nazar Abbas SHAH; Muhammad ABID; Muhammad AMIN; Rahat AFRIN; Syed Zafar ILYAS

2015-01-01

This paper mainly focused on the synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures, their characterization and their ultra violet light sensing response at room temperature. Nanowires, nanobelts and nanosheets were synthesized by varying doping material copper by using vapor transport technique governed by the vapor-liquid-solid or vapor-solid mechanisms. The structural, morphological and optical characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-...

Cathode-Control Alloying at an Au-ZnSe Nanowire Contact via in Situ Joule Heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Ya-Ping; Qu Bai-Hua; Yu Hong-Chun; Wang Yan-Guo

2012-01-01

Controllable interfacial alloying is achieved at a Au-ZnSe nanowire (M-S) contact via in situ Joule heating inside transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM inspection reveals that the Au electrode is locally molten at the M-S contact and the tip of the ZnSe nanowire is covered by the Au melting. Experimental evidences confirm that the alloying at the reversely biased M-S contact is due to the high resistance of the Schottky barrier at this M-S contact, coincident to cathode-control mode. Consequently, in situ Joule heating can be an effective method to improve the performance of nanoelectronics based on a metal-semiconductor-metal nanostructure. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

One-dimensional titania nanostructures: Synthesis and applications in dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hao [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials and Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Guo, Zhiguang, E-mail: zguo@licp.cas.cn [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials and Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Wang, Shimin [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials and Hubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Liu, Weimin [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2014-05-02

One-dimensional (1D) titania (TiO{sub 2}) in the form of nanorods, nanowires, nanobelts and nanotubes have attracted much attention due to their unique physical, chemical and optical properties enabling extraordinary performance in biomedicine, sensors, energy storage, solar cells and photocatalysis. In this review, we mainly focus on synthetic methods for 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures and the applications of 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Traditional nanoparticle-based DSCs have numerous grain boundaries and surface defects, which increase the charge recombination from photoanode to electrolyte. 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures can provide direct and rapid electron transport to the electron collecting electrode, indicating a promising choice for DSCs. We divide the applications of 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures in DSCs into four parts, that is, 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures only, 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructure/nanoparticle composites, branched 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures, and 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures combined with other materials. This work will provide guidance for preparing 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures, and using them as photoanodes in efficient DSCs. - Graphical abstract: 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures which can provide direct and rapid pathways for electron transport have promising applications in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The synthetic methods and applications of 1D TiO{sub 2} nanostructures in DSCs are summarized in this review article.

Sputtered gold-coated ITO nanowires by alternating depositions from Indium and ITO targets for application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setti, Grazielle O.; Mamián-López, Mónica B.; Pessoa, Priscila R.; Poppi, Ronei J.; Joanni, Ednan; Jesus, Dosil P.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering method using a new synthesis procedure. • By changing the deposition parameters the morphology and dimensions of the nanostructures were modified. • Seed layer thickness was an important factor for obtaining branched nanowires. • SERS substrates having good performance and a high application potential were produced. • The first Raman results for our substrates are already comparable to commercial substrates. - Abstract: Indium Tin oxide (ITO) nanowires were deposited by RF sputtering over oxidized silicon using ITO and Indium targets. The nanowires grew on the substrate with a catalyst layer of Indium by the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. Modifications in the deposition conditions affected the morphology and dimensions of the nanowires. The samples, after being covered with gold, were evaluated as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for detection of dye solutions and very good intensifications of the Raman signal were obtained. The SERS performance of the samples was also compared to that of a commercial SERS substrate and the results achieved were similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering technique using oxide and metal targets

Sputtered gold-coated ITO nanowires by alternating depositions from Indium and ITO targets for application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Setti, Grazielle O. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Renato Archer Information Technology Center, Rodovia Dom Pedro I (SP-65), Km 143,6 – Amarais, 13069-901 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Mamián-López, Mónica B.; Pessoa, Priscila R.; Poppi, Ronei J. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Joanni, Ednan, E-mail: ednan.joanni@cti.gov.br [Renato Archer Information Technology Center, Rodovia Dom Pedro I (SP-65), Km 143,6 – Amarais, 13069-901 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Jesus, Dosil P. [Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil)

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering method using a new synthesis procedure. • By changing the deposition parameters the morphology and dimensions of the nanostructures were modified. • Seed layer thickness was an important factor for obtaining branched nanowires. • SERS substrates having good performance and a high application potential were produced. • The first Raman results for our substrates are already comparable to commercial substrates. - Abstract: Indium Tin oxide (ITO) nanowires were deposited by RF sputtering over oxidized silicon using ITO and Indium targets. The nanowires grew on the substrate with a catalyst layer of Indium by the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. Modifications in the deposition conditions affected the morphology and dimensions of the nanowires. The samples, after being covered with gold, were evaluated as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for detection of dye solutions and very good intensifications of the Raman signal were obtained. The SERS performance of the samples was also compared to that of a commercial SERS substrate and the results achieved were similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time ITO nanowires were grown by the sputtering technique using oxide and metal targets.

Nano-structured Cu(In,Al)Se{sub 2} near-infrared photodetectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Ruo-Ping [Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Perng, Dung-Ching, E-mail: dcperng@ee.ncku.edu.tw [Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2013-02-01

We have demonstrated nano-structured Cu(In,Al)Se{sub 2} (CIAS) near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors (PDs). The CIAS NIR PDs were fabricated on ZnO nanowires (NWs)/ZnO/Mo/ITO (indium tin oxide) glass substrate. CIAS film acted as a sensing layer and sparse ZnSe NWs, which were converted from ZnO NWs after selenization process, were embedded in the CIAS film to improve the amplification performance of the NIR PDs. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the CIAS film is a single phased polycrystalline film. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology of the CIAS film and the growth of NWs. Two detection schemes, plain Al–CIAS–Al metal–semiconductor–metal structure and vertical structure with CIAS/ZnSe NWs annular p–n junctions, were studied. The nano-structured NIR PDs demonstrate two orders of magnitude for the annular p–n junction and one order of magnitude for the MSM structure in photocurrent amplification. The responsivities of the PDs using both sensing structures have the same cut-off frequency near 790 nm. - Highlights: ► We demonstrate nano-structured Cu(In,Al)Se{sub 2} near-infrared photodetectors. ► Photodetectors were fabricated on ZnO nanowires/ZnO/Mo/ITO glass substrate. ► Two detection schemes studied: a plain MSM structure and a vertical structure. ► Photocurrent amplification for the vertical structure is two orders of magnitude. ► Photocurrent amplification for the MSM structure is one order of magnitude.

Construction of a four tip scanning tunneling microscope/scanning electron microscope combination and conductivity measurements of silicide nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubkov, Evgeniy

2013-01-01

In this work the combination of a four-tip scanning tunneling microscope with a scanning electron microscope is presented. By means of this apparatus it is possible to perform the conductivity measurements on the in-situ prepared nanostructures in ultra-high vacuum. With the aid of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it becomes possible to position the tunneling tips of the four-tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM), so that an arrangement for a four-point probe measurement on nanostructures can be obtained. The STM head was built according to the novel coaxial Beetle concept. This concept allows on the one hand, a very compact arrangement of the components of the STM and on the other hand, the new-built STM head has a good mechanical stability, in order to achieve atomic resolution with all four STM units. The atomic resolution of the STM units was confirmed by scanning a Si(111)-7 x 7 surface. The thermal drift during the STM operation, as well as the resonant frequencies of the mechanical structure of the STM head, were determined. The scanning electron microscope allows the precise and safe navigation of the tunneling tips on the sample surface. Multi tip spectroscopy with up to four STM units can be performed synchronously. To demonstrate the capabilities of the new-built apparatus the conductivity measurements were carried out on metallic yttrium silicide nanowires. The nanowires were prepared by the in-situ deposition of yttrium on a heated Si(110) sample surface. Current-voltage curves were recorded on the nanowires and on the wetting layer in-between. The curves indicate an existence of the Schottky barrier between the yttrium silicide nanowires and the silicon bulk. By means of the two-tip measurements with a gate, the insulating property of the Schottky barrier has been confirmed. Using this Schottky barrier, it is possible to limit the current to the nanowire and to prevent it from flowing through the silicon bulk. A four-tip resistance measurement

Facile and rapid synthesis of nickel nanowires and their magnetic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Shaochun; Zheng Zhou; Vongehr, Sascha; Meng Xiangkang

2011-01-01

The present work reports a facile and rapid microwave-assisted route to synthesize nickel nanowires with a necklace-like morphology and lengths up to several hundreds of microns. The wires consist of many crystallites with an average size of 25 ± 2 nm. The synthesis does not use templates or magnetic fields and needs only 6 min, which is more than 480 times faster than that needed for Ni wires prepared at 180 °C using conventional heating. Nickel nanostructures with various morphologies including spheres, chains and irregular particles with porous surfaces can also be obtained by adjusting reaction parameters. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is found to be vital for the formation of the one-dimensional chains and a high concentration of PVP smoothes their surfaces to result in the appearance of wires. This rapid one-pot procedure combines the formation of nanoparticles, their oriented assembly into chains, and the subsequent shaping of wires. The Ni nanostructures show variable magnetic properties. The prepared nickel wires have a high mechanical stability and exhibit much higher coercivity than bulk nickel, Ni nanoparticles and their aggregations, which promise potential applications in micromechanical sensors, memory devices and other fields.

The design, fabrication, and photocatalytic utility of nanostructured semiconductors: focus on TiO2-based nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arghya Narayan Banerjee

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Arghya Narayan BanerjeeSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South KoreaAbstract: Recent advances in basic fabrication techniques of TiO2-based nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanoplatelets, and both physical- and solution-based techniques have been adopted by various research groups around the world. Our research focus has been mainly on various deposition parameters used for fabricating nanostructured materials, including TiO2-organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials. Technically, TiO2 shows relatively high reactivity under ultraviolet light, the energy of which exceeds the band gap of TiO2. The development of photocatalysts exhibiting high reactivity under visible light allows the main part of the solar spectrum to be used. Visible light-activated TiO2 could be prepared by doping or sensitizing. As far as doping of TiO2 is concerned, in obtaining tailored material with improved properties, metal and nonmetal doping has been performed in the context of improved photoactivity. Nonmetal doping seems to be more promising than metal doping. TiO2 represents an effective photocatalyst for water and air purification and for self-cleaning surfaces. Additionally, it can be used as an antibacterial agent because of its strong oxidation activity and superhydrophilicity. Therefore, applications of TiO2 in terms of photocatalytic activities are discussed here. The basic mechanisms of the photoactivities of TiO2 and nanostructures are considered alongside band structure engineering and surface modification in nanostructured TiO2 in the context of doping. The article reviews the basic structural, optical, and electrical properties of TiO2, followed by detailed fabrication techniques of 0-, 1-, and quasi-2-dimensional TiO2 nanomaterials. Applications and future directions of nanostructured TiO2 are considered in the context of various photoinduced phenomena such as hydrogen production, electricity generation via

Nanostructured High Performance Ultraviolet and Blue Light Emitting Diodes for Solid State Lighting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arto V. Nurmikko; Jung Han

2007-03-31

We report on research results in this project which synergize advanced material science approaches with fundamental optical physics concepts pertaining to light-matter interaction, with the goal of solving seminal problems for the development of very high performance light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the blue and near ultraviolet for Solid State Lighting applications. Accomplishments in the duration of the contract period include (i) new means of synthesizing AlGaN and InN quantum dots by droplet heteroepitaxy, (ii) synthesis of AlGaInN nanowires as building blocks for GaN-based microcavity devices, (iii) progress towards direct epitaxial alignment of the dense arrays of nanowires, (iv) observation and measurements of stimulated emission in dense InGaN nanopost arrays, (v) design and fabrication of InGaN photonic crystal emitters, and (vi) observation and measurements of enhanced fluorescence from coupled quantum dot and plasmonic nanostructures. The body of results is presented in this report shows how a solid foundation has been laid, with several noticeable accomplishments, for innovative research, consistent with the stated milestones.

Polyaniline nanowire arrays aligned on nitrogen-doped carbon fabric for high-performance flexible supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Pingping; Li, Yingzhi; Yu, Xinyi; Zhao, Xin; Wu, Lihao; Zhang, Qinghua

2013-09-24

A combination of vertical polyaniline (PANI) nanowire arrays and nitrogen plasma etched carbon fiber cloths (eCFC) was fabricated to create 3D nanostructured PANI/eCFC composites. The small size of the highly ordered PANI nanowires can greatly reduce the scale of the diffusion length, allowing for the improved utilization of electrode materials. A two-electrode flexible supercapacitor based on PANI/eCFC demonstrates a high specific capacitance (1035 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1)), good rate capability (88% capacity retention at 8 A g(-1)), and long-term cycle life (10% capacity loss after 5000 cycles). The lightweight, low-cost, flexible composites are promising candidates for use in energy storage device applications.

Fabrication of conductive metallized nanostructures from self-assembled amphiphilic triblock copolymer templates: Nanospheres, nanowires, nanorings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jintao; Jiang Wei

2007-01-01

Various metallized nanostructures (such as rings, wires with controllable lengths, spheres) have been successfully fabricated by coating metallic nanolayers onto soft nanotemplates through simple electroless methods. In particular, bimetallic nanostructures have been obtained by using simple methods. The multiple functional polymeric nanostructures were obtained through the self-assembly of polystyrene/poly(4-vinyl pyridine) triblock copolymer (P4VP-b-PS-b-P4VP) in selective media by changing the common solvent properties. By combining field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization, it was confirmed that polymer/metal and bimetallic (Au at Ag) core-shell nanostructures could be achieved by chemical metal deposition method

On-chip microplasma reactors using carbon nanofibres and tungsten oxide nanowires as electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agiral, Anil; Groenland, Alfons W; Han Gardeniers, J G E; Chinthaginjala, J Kumar; Seshan, K; Lefferts, Leon

2008-01-01

Carbon nanofibres (CNFs) and tungsten oxide (W 18 O 49 ) nanowires have been incorporated into a continuous flow type microplasma reactor to increase the reactivity and efficiency of the barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure. CNFs and tungsten oxide nanowires were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and nanodiffraction methods. Field emission of electrons from those nanostructures supplies free electrons and ions during microplasma production. Reduction in breakdown voltage, higher number of microdischarges and higher energy deposition were observed at the same applied voltage when compared with plane electrodes at atmospheric pressure in air. Rate coefficients of electron impact reaction channels to decompose CO 2 were calculated and it was shown that CO 2 consumption increased using CNFs compared with plane electrode in the microplasma reactor.

Single-crystalline MgAl2O4 spinel nanotubes using a reactive and removable MgO nanowire template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Hongjin; Knez, Mato; Scholz, Roland; Nielsch, Kornelius; Pippel, Eckhard; Hesse, Dietrich; Goesele, Ulrich; Zacharias, Margit

2006-01-01

Using MgO nanowires as a reactive template, we fabricated for the first time single-crystal MgAl 2 O 4 spinel nanotubes through an interfacial solid-state reaction of MgO-Al 2 O 3 core-shell nanowires. Single-crystal MgO nanowires are coated with a conformal thin layer of amorphous Al 2 O 3 via atomic layer deposition. Subsequent annealing at 700 deg. C activates the interfacial reaction between MgO and Al 2 O 3 , transforming the alumina shell into a spinel shell. Finally, after etching away the remaining MgO core in ammonia sulfuric solution, MgAl 2 O 4 spinel nanotubes are obtained. As a transition from conventional planar spinel layers via thin-film interface reactions, our result might open a window for the fabrication of a wide variety of MgO-based spinel one-dimensional nanostructures

Semimetal-semiconductor transitions in bismuth-antimony films and nanowires induced by size quantization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolaeva, A.A.; Konopko, L.A.; Grabov, V.M.; Komarov, V.A.; Kablukova, N.; Popov, I.A.

2013-01-01

Full text:Single-crystal bismuth films and nanowires undergo a transformation from semimetal to semiconductor (SMSC) thanks to the manifestation of quantum size effects, which modify phonon transport, which may be of practical interest. This effect must be most pronounced in single Bi 1-x Sb x nanostructures in the semimetal phase(x < 0.04) with a minimal overlapping of L and T bands. In this paper we present the experimental results an investigation of the low- temperature electrical transport, thermoelectrical properties, SdH oscillations of BiSb films, grown by vacuum thermal evaporation and nanowires prepared by a modified Ulitovsky - Teilor technique. We confirmed with X-ray diffraction that the trigonal axis were perpendicular to the film plane. The single Bi-2at% Sb nanowires with diameter 100-1000nm were represented single crystals in glass capillary with (1011) orientation along the wire axis. The investigations the Shubnikov de Haas oscillations shows, that overlapping L and-T- bands was in two time smaller, than in pure Bi. The quantum dimensional effect induced SMSC transition is observed in Bi-Sb films and nanowires at the wires diameters up to five times greater, than in pure Bi. That experimental fact on the one site will be allow to go at higher temperatures with the same diameters nanowires, and on the other hand allows to separate effects connected with surface state and QSE. We also discuss the thermoelectric properties for optimizing their performance for certain, such as thermoelectrics.

Fabrication and characterization of active nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Opondo, Noah F.

Three different nanostructure active devices have been designed, fabricated and characterized. Junctionless transistors based on highly-doped silicon nanowires fabricated using a bottom-up fabrication approach are first discussed. The fabrication avoids the ion implantation step since silicon nanowires are doped in-situ during growth. Germanium junctionless transistors fabricated with a top down approach starting from a germanium on insulator substrate and using a gate stack of high-k dielectrics and GeO2 are also presented. The levels and origin of low-frequency noise in junctionless transistor devices fabricated from silicon nanowires and also from GeOI devices are reported. Low-frequency noise is an indicator of the quality of the material, hence its characterization can reveal the quality and perhaps reliability of fabricated transistors. A novel method based on low-frequency noise measurement to envisage trap density in the semiconductor bandgap near the semiconductor/oxide interface of nanoscale silicon junctionless transistors (JLTs) is presented. Low-frequency noise characterization of JLTs biased in saturation is conducted at different gate biases. The noise spectrum indicates either a Lorentzian or 1/f. A simple analysis of the low-frequency noise data leads to the density of traps and their energy within the semiconductor bandgap. The level of noise in silicon JLT devices is lower than reported values on transistors fabricated using a top-down approach. This noise level can be significantly improved by improving the quality of dielectric and the channel interface. A micro-vacuum electron device based on silicon field emitters for cold cathode emission is also presented. The presented work utilizes vertical Si nanowires fabricated by means of self-assembly, standard lithography and etching techniques as field emitters in this dissertation. To obtain a high nanowire density, hence a high current density, a simple and inexpensive Langmuir Blodgett technique

Increased Efficiency of Solar Cells Protected by Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Anti-Reflecting Nanostructured Glasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Baquedano, Estela; Torné, Lorena; Caño, Pablo; Postigo, Pablo A

2017-12-14

We investigated the fabrication of large-area (cm²) nanostructured glasses for solar cell modules with hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties using soft lithography and colloidal lithography. Both of these techniques entail low-cost and ease of nanofabrication. We explored the use of simple 1D and 2D nanopatterns (nanowires and nanocones) and the effect of introducing disorder in the nanostructures. We observed an increase in the transmitted light for ordered nanostructures with a maximum value of 99% for wavelengths >600 nm when ordered nanocones are fabricated on the two sides of the solar glass. They produced an increment in the efficiency of the packaged solar cell with respect to the glass without nanostructures. On the one hand, the wettability properties showed that the ordering of the nanostructures improved the hydrophobicity of the solar glasses and increased their self-cleaning capacity. On the other hand, the disordered nanostructures improved the hydrophilic properties of solar glasses, increasing their anti-fogging capacity. The results show that by selecting the appropriate nanopattern, the wettability properties (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) can be easily improved without decreasing the efficiency of the solar cell underneath.

Surface state modulation through wet chemical treatment as a route to controlling the electrical properties of ZnO nanowire arrays investigated with XPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lord, Alex M.; Maffeis, Thierry G.; Allen, Martin W.; Morgan, David; Davies, Philip R.; Jones, Daniel R.; Evans, Jonathan E.; Smith, Nathan A.; Wilks, Steve P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Direct measurement of the surface band bending exhibited by ZnO nanowires using monochromatic XPS. • Modulation of the surface depletion region using wet chemical treatment (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ). • The measured surface potential barrier agrees with electrical measurements of individual nanowires. • H 2 O 2 depletes the nanowire of charge carriers while EtOH donates electrons at the surface. • EtOH has the effect of restoring the surface potential barrier of oxidised nanowires. - Abstract: ZnO is a wide bandgap semiconductor that has many potential applications including solar cell electrodes, transparent thin film transistors and gas/biological sensors. Since the surfaces of ZnO materials have no amorphous or oxidised layers, they are very environmentally sensitive, making control of their semiconductor properties challenging. In particular, the electronic properties of ZnO nanostructures are dominated by surface effects while surface conduction layers have been observed in thin films and bulk crystals. Therefore, the ability to use the ZnO materials in a controlled way depends on the development of simple techniques to modulate their surface electronic properties. Here, we use monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the use of different wet chemical treatments (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ) to control the electronic properties of ZnO nanowires by modulating the surface depletion region. The valence band and core level XPS spectra are used to explore the relationship between the surface chemistry of the nanowires and the surface band bending

High-aspect-ratio HfC nanobelts accompanied by HfC nanowires: Synthesis, characterization and field emission properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Song, E-mail: tiansong22@126.com [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074 (China); Zhang, Yulei; Ren, Jincui; Qiang, Xinfa; Zhang, Shouyang [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Li, Hejun, E-mail: lihejun@nwpu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China)

2017-04-30

Highlights: • HfC naobelts accompanied by HfC nanowires were synthesized by a catalytic CVD method. • HfC nanobelts as a novel structure of HfC ceramic are reported for the first time. • HfC nanobelts have 100–200 μm in lengths and reach up to 10 μm in widths. • The synthesized product is promising field nanoemitters. - Abstract: As a key refractory carbide, hafnium carbide (HfC) is commonly used as structural materials while the field emission (FE) application of HfC in the field of vacuum microelectronics is almost the only one for functional material purposes. Based on its outstanding physical and chemical characteristics, HfC is identified as a potential candidate with satisfactory mechanical properties and long-term and/or high-temperature FE stability for future applications in high-performance field emitters. However, the development of HfC in various FE applications is hindered because it is not facile to fabricate large-scale low-dimensional HfC field nanoemitters. Herein, High-aspect-ratio HfC nanobelts accompanied by HfC nanowires were synthesized on a large scale by a traditional and simple catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Classical vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) theory was employed to explain the growth of the HfC nanowires and nanobelts along axial direction. The thin HfO{sub 2} shell and thin C layer surrounding the nanostructures might give rise to the diameter fluctuation of HfC nanowires and the width increase of HfC nanobelts in lateral direction. Field emission results show that the high-aspect-ratio HfC nanobelts accompanied by the nanowires are promising field nanoemitters, which exhibit excellent field emission properties with a fairly low turn-on field of ∼1.5 V μm{sup −1} and a low current fluctuation less than ∼10%. This suggests that HfC ceramics with high-aspect-ratio nanostructures are ideal cathode material for various field emission applications.

Long-Term Stability of Oxide Nanowire Sensors via Heavily Doped Oxide Contact.

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Zeng, Hao; Takahashi, Tsunaki; Kanai, Masaki; Zhang, Guozhu; He, Yong; Nagashima, Kazuki; Yanagida, Takeshi

2017-12-22

Long-term stability of a chemical sensor is an essential quality for long-term collection of data related to exhaled breath, environmental air, and other sources in the Internet of things (IoT) era. Although an oxide nanowire sensor has shown great potential as a chemical sensor, the long-term stability of sensitivity has not been realized yet due to electrical degradation under harsh sensing conditions. Here, we report a rational concept to accomplish long-term electrical stability of metal oxide nanowire sensors via introduction of a heavily doped metal oxide contact layer. Antimony-doped SnO 2 (ATO) contacts on SnO 2 nanowires show much more stable and lower electrical contact resistance than conventional Ti contacts for high temperature (200 °C) conditions, which are required to operate chemical sensors. The stable and low contact resistance of ATO was confirmed for at least 1960 h under 200 °C in open air. This heavily doped oxide contact enables us to realize the long-term stability of SnO 2 nanowire sensors while maintaining the sensitivity for both NO 2 gas and light (photo) detections. The applicability of our method is confirmed for sensors on a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate. Since the proposed fundamental concept can be applied to various oxide nanostructures, it will give a foundation for designing long-term stable oxide nanomaterial-based IoT sensors.

Morphology-controllable synthesis of cobalt oxalates and their conversion to mesoporous Co3O4 nanostructures for application in supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dewei; Wang, Qihua; Wang, Tingmei

2011-07-18

In this work, one-dimensional and layered parallel folding of cobalt oxalate nanostructures have been selectively prepared by a one-step, template-free, water-controlled precipitation approach by simply altering the solvents used at ambient temperature and pressure. Encouragingly, the feeding order of solutions played an extraordinary role in the synthesis of nanorods and nanowires. After calcination in air, the as-prepared cobalt oxalate nanostructures were converted to mesoporous Co(3)O(4) nanostructures while their original frame structures were well maintained. The phase composition, morphology, and structure of the as-obtained products were studied in detail. Electrochemical properties of the Co(3)O(4) electrodes were carried out using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements by a three-electrode system. The electrochemical experiments revealed that the layered parallel folding structure of mesoporous Co(3)O(4) exhibited higher capacitance compared to that of the nanorods and nanowires. A maximum specific capacitance of 202.5 F g (-1) has been obtained in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte at a current density of 1 A g(-1) with a voltage window from 0 to 0.40 V. Furthermore, the specific capacitance decay after 1000 continuous charge-discharge cycles was negligible, revealing the excellent stability of the electrode. These characteristics indicate that the mesoporous Co(3)O(4) nanostructures are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Review of Fabrication Methods, Physical Properties, and Applications of Nanostructured Copper Oxides Formed via Electrochemical Oxidation

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Wojciech J. Stepniowski

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Typically, anodic oxidation of metals results in the formation of hexagonally arranged nanoporous or nanotubular oxide, with a specific oxidation state of the transition metal. Recently, the majority of transition metals have been anodized; however, the formation of copper oxides by electrochemical oxidation is yet unexplored and offers numerous, unique properties and applications. Nanowires formed by copper electrochemical oxidation are crystalline and composed of cuprous (CuO or cupric oxide (Cu2O, bringing varied physical and chemical properties to the nanostructured morphology and different band gaps: 1.44 and 2.22 eV, respectively. According to its Pourbaix (potential-pH diagram, the passivity of copper occurs at ambient and alkaline pH. In order to grow oxide nanostructures on copper, alkaline electrolytes like NaOH and KOH are used. To date, no systemic study has yet been reported on the influence of the operating conditions, such as the type of electrolyte, its temperature, and applied potential, on the morphology of the grown nanostructures. However, the numerous reports gathered in this paper will provide a certain view on the matter. After passivation, the formed nanostructures can be also post-treated. Post-treatments employ calcinations or chemical reactions, including the chemical reduction of the grown oxides. Nanostructures made of CuO or Cu2O have a broad range of potential applications. On one hand, with the use of surface morphology, the wetting contact angle is tuned. On the other hand, the chemical composition (pure Cu2O and high surface area make such materials attractive for renewable energy harvesting, including water splitting. While compared to other fabrication techniques, self-organized anodization is a facile, easy to scale-up, time-efficient approach, providing high-aspect ratio one-dimensional (1D nanostructures. Despite these advantages, there are still numerous challenges that have to be faced, including the

A III-V nanowire channel on silicon for high-performance vertical transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomioka, Katsuhiro; Yoshimura, Masatoshi; Fukui, Takashi

2012-08-09

Silicon transistors are expected to have new gate architectures, channel materials and switching mechanisms in ten years' time. The trend in transistor scaling has already led to a change in gate structure from two dimensions to three, used in fin field-effect transistors, to avoid problems inherent in miniaturization such as high off-state leakage current and the short-channel effect. At present, planar and fin architectures using III-V materials, specifically InGaAs, are being explored as alternative fast channels on silicon because of their high electron mobility and high-quality interface with gate dielectrics. The idea of surrounding-gate transistors, in which the gate is wrapped around a nanowire channel to provide the best possible electrostatic gate control, using InGaAs channels on silicon, however, has been less well investigated because of difficulties in integrating free-standing InGaAs nanostructures on silicon. Here we report the position-controlled growth of vertical InGaAs nanowires on silicon without any buffering technique and demonstrate surrounding-gate transistors using InGaAs nanowires and InGaAs/InP/InAlAs/InGaAs core-multishell nanowires as channels. Surrounding-gate transistors using core-multishell nanowire channels with a six-sided, high-electron-mobility transistor structure greatly enhance the on-state current and transconductance while keeping good gate controllability. These devices provide a route to making vertically oriented transistors for the next generation of field-effect transistors and may be useful as building blocks for wireless networks on silicon platforms.

Pattern analysis of aligned nanowires in a microchannel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeon, Young Jin; Kang, Hyun Wook; Ko, Seung Hwan; Sung, Hyung Jin

2013-01-01

An image processing method for evaluating the quality of nanowire alignment in a microchannel is described. A solution containing nanowires flowing into a microchannel will tend to deposit the nanowires on the bottom surface of the channel via near-wall shear flows. The deposited nanowires generally form complex directional structures along the direction of flow, and the physical properties of these structures depend on the structural morphology, including the alignment quality. A quantitative analysis approach to characterizing the nanowire alignment is needed to estimate the useful features of the nanowire structures. This analysis consists of several image processing methods, including ridge detection, texton analysis and autocorrelation function (ACF) calculation. The ridge detection method improved the ACF by extracting nanowire frames 1–2 pixels in width. Dilation filters were introduced to permit a comparison of the ACF results calculated from different images, regardless of the nanowire orientation. An ACF based on the FFT was then calculated over a square interrogation window. The alignment angle probability distribution was obtained using texton analysis. Monte Carlo simulations of artificially generated images were carried out, and the new algorithm was applied to images collected using two types of microscopy. (paper)

Quasi-monodimensional polyaniline nanostructures for enhanced molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Berti, Francesca; Todros, Silvia; Lakshmi, Dhana; Whitcombe, Michael J; Chianella, Iva; Ferroni, Matteo; Piletsky, Sergey A; Turner, Anthony P F; Marrazza, Giovanna

2010-10-15

Recent advances in nanotechnology have allowed significant progress in utilising cutting-edge techniques associated with nanomaterials and nano-fabrication to expand the scope and capability of biosensors to a new level of novelty and functionality. The aim of this work was the development and characterisation of conductive polyaniline (PANI) nanostructures for applications in electrochemical biosensing. We explore a simple, inexpensive and fast route to grow PANI nanotubes, arranged in an ordered structure directly on an electrode surface, by electrochemical polymerisation using alumina nanoporous membranes as a 'nano-mould'. The deposited nanostructures have been characterised electrochemically and morphologically prior to grafting with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) receptor in order to create a model sensor for catechol detection. In this way, PANI nanostructures resulted in a conductive nanowire system which allowed direct electrical connection between the electrode and the synthetic receptor (MIP). To our knowledge, this is the first example of integration between molecularly imprinted polymers and PANI nanostructured electrodes. The advantages of using nanostructures in this particular biosensing application have been evaluated by comparing the analytical performance of the sensor with an analogous non-nanostructured MIP-sensor for catechol detection that was previously developed. A significantly lower limit of detection for catechol has been obtained (29 nM, one order of magnitude), thus demonstrating that the nanostructures are capable of improving the analytical performance of the sensor. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiscale Study of Barium Titanate Nanostructures and Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Louis, Lydie

Advancements in integrated nanoelectronics will continue to require the use of unique materials or systems of materials with diverse functionalities in increasingly confined spaces. Hence, research on finite-dimensional systems strive to unearth and expand the knowledge of fundamental physical properties in certain key materials which exhibit numerous concurrent and exploitable functions. Correspondingly, ferroelectric nanostructures, which particularly display a plethora of complex phenomena, prevalent in countless fields of research, are noteworthy candidates. Presently, however, the assimilation of zero-(0D) and one-dimensional (1D) ferroelectric into micro- or nano-electronics has been lagging, in part due to a lack of applied and fundamental studies but also due to the paucity of synthetic strategies yielding high quality monocrystalline structures. In this work, the problematics of size reduction, which affects many aspects of electronic devices, was addressed. Furthermore, the depolarizing effects associated with finite thickness in ferroelectric nanostructures was investigated in connection with other crucial boundary conditions. The work reported in this dissertation concerned isolated 0D and 1D BaTiO3 nanocrystals and nanocomposites composed of periodic arrays of BaTiO 3 nanowires embedded in a matrix formed by another ferroelectric material. A systematic investigation was conducted for those three types of nanostructures from a quantum mechanical and atomistic perspective using both direct-first-principles and first-principles-derived methods. Using first-principles-based calculations, the structural phase sequences in 0D (cubic-to-tetragonal-to-monoclinic-to-rhombohedral) and 1D (cubic-to-tetragonal-to-orthorhombic-to-monoclinic) BaTiO3 nanoparticles revealed differences from that of the bulk and thin film systems. The monoclinic symmetry found in the 0D compounds, and as for the ground-state of 1D systems, were also affected by size effects and tuned

A hierarchical nanostructure consisting of amorphous MnO{sub 2}, Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanocrystallites, and single-crystalline MnOOH nanowires for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Chi-Chang; Hung, Ching-Yun [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013 (China); Chang, Kuo-Hsin [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30013 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi 621 (China); Yang, Yi-Lin [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi 621 (China)

2011-01-15

In this communication, a porous hierarchical nanostructure consisting of amorphous MnO{sub 2} (a-MnO{sub 2}), Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanocrystals, and single-crystalline MnOOH nanowires is designed for the supercapacitor application, which is prepared by a simple two-step electrochemical deposition process. Because of the gradual co-transformation of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanocrystals and a-MnO{sub 2} nanorods into an amorphous manganese oxide, the cycle stability of a-MnO{sub 2} is obviously enhanced by adding Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}. This unique ternary oxide nanocomposite with 100-cycle CV activation exhibits excellent capacitive performances, i.e., excellent reversibility, high specific capacitances (470 F g{sup -1} in CaCl{sub 2}), high power property, and outstanding cycle stability. The highly porous microstructures of this composite before and after the 10,000-cycle CV test are examined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (author)

Direct writing of metal nanostructures: lithographic tools for nanoplasmonics research.

Science.gov (United States)

Leggett, Graham J

2011-03-22

Continued progress in the fast-growing field of nanoplasmonics will require the development of new methods for the fabrication of metal nanostructures. Optical lithography provides a continually expanding tool box. Two-photon processes, as demonstrated by Shukla et al. (doi: 10.1021/nn103015g), enable the fabrication of gold nanostructures encapsulated in dielectric material in a simple, direct process and offer the prospect of three-dimensional fabrication. At higher resolution, scanning probe techniques enable nanoparticle particle placement by localized oxidation, and near-field sintering of nanoparticulate films enables direct writing of nanowires. Direct laser "printing" of single gold nanoparticles offers a remarkable capability for the controlled fabrication of model structures for fundamental studies, particle-by-particle. Optical methods continue to provide a powerful support for research into metamaterials.

X-ray diffraction analysis of InAs nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davydok, Anton

2013-01-01

Semiconductor nanowires have attracted great interest as building blocks for future electronic and optoelectronic devices. The variability of the growth process opens the opportunity to control and combine the various properties tailoring for specific application. It was shown that the electrical and optical characteristics of the nanowires are strongly connected with their structure. Despite intensive research in this field, the growth process is still not fully understood. In particular, extensive real structure investigations are required. Most of the reports dedicated on the structural researches are based on the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM provides an image of the surface with nanostructures and is mainly used to describe the morphology of the sample, but it does not bring information about the internal structure, phase composition and defect structure. At the same time, the internal structure can be examined by TEM down to atomic scale. TEM image of good quality are very expensive due to the efforts in sample preparation and in localisation of a single object. All these aspects make the statistical structural analysis difficult. In the present work, X-ray diffraction analysis has been applied for structural investigation of InAs nanowires grown by different techniques. Using various X-ray diffraction geometries, the nanowire systems were investigated in terms of the lattice parameters, phase composition, strains and displacement fields and stacking defects. In particular, realizing grazing incidence diffraction and controlling the penetration depth of X-ray beam, we characterized sample series grown by Au-assisted metal organic phase epitaxy on GaAs [111]B substrate with different growth time. According to the results of SEM and X-ray investigations, a model of the growth process has been proposed. A more detailed analysis was performed on InAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on

Characterization and Growth Mechanism of Nickel Nanowires Resulting from Reduction of Nickel Formate in Polyol Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga A. Logutenko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nickel linear nanostructures were synthesized by reduction of nickel formate with hydrazine hydrate in ethylene glycol medium in the absence of any surfactants or capping agents for direction of the particles growth. The effect of the synthesis conditions such as temperature, reduction time, type of polyol, and nickel formate concentration on the reduction products was studied. The size and morphology of the nickel nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. It was shown that the nickel nanocrystallites were wire-shaped with a face-center-cubic phase. Ethylene glycol was found to play a crucial role in the formation of the nickel nanowires. The possible growth processes of the wire-shaped particles taking place at 110 and 130°C are discussed. It was shown that, under certain synthesis conditions, nickel nanowires grow on the surface of the crystals of the solid intermediate of nickel with hydrazine hydrate.

Mass transport modelling for the electroreduction of CO2 on Cu nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Raciti, David; Mao, Mark; Wang, Chao

2018-01-01

Mass transport plays an important role in CO2 reduction electrocatalysis. Albeit being more pronounced on nanostructured electrodes, the studies of mass transport for CO2 reduction have yet been limited to planar electrodes. We report here the development of a mass transport model for the electroreduction of CO2 on Cu nanowire electrodes. Fed with the experimental data from electrocatalytic studies, the local concentrations of CO2, {{{{HCO}}}3}-,{{{{CO}}}3}2- and OH- on the nanostructured electrodes are calculated by solving the diffusion equations with spatially distributed electrochemical reaction terms incorporated. The mass transport effects on the catalytic activity and selectivity of the Cu nanowire electrocatalysts are thus discussed by using the local pH as the descriptor. The established correlations between the electrocatalytic performance and the local pH shows that, the latter does not only determine the acid-base reaction equilibrium, but also regulates the mass transport and reaction kinetics. Based on these findings, the optimal range of local pH for CO2 reduction is discussed in terms of a fine balance among the suppression of hydrogen evolution, improvement of C2 product selectivity and limitation of CO2 supply. Our work highlights the importance of understanding the mass transport effects in interpretation of CO2 reduction electrocatalysis on high-surface-area catalysts.

Ga2O3 nanowires preparation at atmospheric pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korbutowicz R.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available An attempt has been undertaken to produce gallium oxide nanowires by thermal synthesis from metallic gallium source at atmospheric pressure. Silicon substrates of (1 0 0 and (1 1 1 orientation with and without silicon oxide layers (0.5 μm were used as support. Evaporated thin gold films were deposited on the top of those silicon carriers as a catalytic agent. After thermal treatment by Rapid Thermal Processing RTP (at various temperatures and times, which was applied to make small Au islands with the diameters of about several tens of nanometers, the substrate surfaces were observed by SEM. The Ga2O3 syntheses were made at various conditions: time, temperature and gas mixture were changed. As a result, monoclinic gallium oxide β-Ga2O3 nanostructures with dominant [1 1 1] and [0 0 2] growth directions were grown. The obtained nanostructures of several tens micrometers length were studied by SEM, PL and X-ray methods.

Functional zinc oxide nanostructures for electronic and energy applications

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Abhishek

ZnO has proven to be a multifunctional material with important nanotechnological applications. ZnO nanostructures can be grown in various forms such as nanowires, nanorods, nanobelts, nanocombs etc. In this work, ZnO nanostructures are grown in a double quartz tube configuration thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) system. We focus on functionalized ZnO Nanostructures by controlling their structures and tuning their properties for various applications. The following topics have been investigated: (1) We have fabricated various ZnO nanostructures using a thermal CVD technique. The growth parameters were optimized and studied for different nanostructures. (2) We have studied the application of ZnO nanowires (ZnONWs) for field effect transistors (FETs). Unintentional n-type conductivity was observed in our FETs based on as-grown ZnO NWs. We have then shown for the first time that controlled incorporation of hydrogen into ZnO NWs can introduce p-type characters to the nanowires. We further found that the n-type behaviors remained, leading to the ambipolar behaviors of hydrogen incorporated ZnO NWs. Importantly, the detected p- and n- type behaviors are stable for longer than two years when devices were kept in ambient conditions. All these can be explained by an ab initio model of Zn vacancy-Hydrogen complexes, which can serve as the donor, acceptors, or green photoluminescence quencher, depend on the number of hydrogen atoms involved. (3) Next ZnONWs were tested for electron field emission. We focus on reducing the threshold field (Eth) of field emission from non-aligned ZnO NWs. As encouraged by our results on enhancing the conductivity of ZnO NWs by hydrogen annealing described in Chapter 3, we have studied the effect of hydrogen annealing for improving field emission behavior of our ZnO NWs. We found that optimally annealed ZnO NWs offered much lower threshold electric field and improved emission stability. We also studied field emission from ZnO NWs at moderate

Electrochemical properties of high-power supercapacitors using ordered NiO coated Si nanowire array electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Fang; Qiu, Mengchun; Qi, Xiang; Yang, Liwen; Yin, Jinjie; Hao, Guolin; Feng, Xiang; Li, Jun; Zhong, Jianxin

2011-08-01

Highly ordered NiO coated Si nanowire arrays are fabricated as electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) via depositing Ni on electroless-etched Si nanowires and subsequently annealing. The electrochemical tests reveal that the constructed electrode has superior electrical conductibility and more active sites per unit area for chemical reaction processes, thereby possessing good cycle stability, high specific capacity, and low internal resistance. The specific capacity is up to 787.5 F g-1 at a discharge current of 2.5 mA and decreases slightly with 4.039% loss after 500 cycles, while the equivalent internal resistance is ˜3.067 Ω. Owing to its favorable electrochemical performance, this ordered hybrid array nanostructure is a promising electrode material in future commercial ES.

Metal-insulator transition in Pt-C nanowires grown by focused-ion-beam-induced deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Pacheco, A.; Ibarra, M. R.; De Teresa, J. M.; Cordoba, R.

2009-01-01

We present a study of the transport properties of Pt-C nanowires created by focused-ion-beam (FIB)-induced deposition. By means of the measurement of the resistance while the deposit is being performed, we observe a progressive decrease in the nanowire resistivity with thickness, changing from 10 8 μΩ cm for thickness ∼20 nm to a lowest saturated value of 700 μΩ cm for thickness >150 nm. Spectroscopy analysis indicates that this dependence on thickness is caused by a gradient in the metal-carbon ratio as the deposit is grown. We have fabricated nanowires in different ranges of resistivity and studied their conduction mechanism as a function of temperature. A metal-insulator transition as a function of the nanowire thickness is observed. The results will be discussed in terms of the Mott-Anderson theory for noncrystalline materials. An exponential decrease in the conductance with the electric field is found for the most resistive samples, a phenomenon understood by the theory of hopping in lightly doped semiconductors under strong electric fields. This work explains the important discrepancies found in the literature for Pt-C nanostructures grown by FIB and opens the possibility to tune the transport properties of this material by an appropriate selection of the growth parameters.

Synthesis of hexagonal ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires with diameters below 5 nm for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Huidan; Zhu, Qin; Zhang, Mengying; Yan, Yi; Liu, Yongping; Li, Ming; Yang, Zhishu; Geng, Peng

2018-04-01

Semiconductor with one dimension (1D) ultrathin nanostructure has been proved to be a promising nanomaterial in photocatalytic field. Great efforts were made on preparation of monoclinic ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires. However, non-monoclinic phase tungsten oxides with 1D ultrathin structure, especially less than 5 nm width, have not been reported. Herein, we report the synthesis of hexagonal ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires (U-WOx NW) by modified hydrothermal method. Microstructure characterization showed that U-WOx NW have the diameters of 1-3 nm below 5 nm and are hexagonal phase sub-stoichiometric WOx. U-WOx NW show absorption tail in the visible and near infrared region due to oxygen vacancies. For improving further photocatalytic performance, Ag co-catalyst was grown directly onto U-WOx NW surface by in situ redox reaction. Photocatalytic measurements revealed hexagonal U-WOx NW have better photodegradation activity, compared with commercial WO3(C-WO3) and oxidized U-WOx NW, ascribe to larger surface area, short diffusion length of photo-generated charge carriers and visible absorption of oxygen-vacancy-rich hexagonal ultrathin nanostructures. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity and stability of U-WOx NW using Ag co-catalyst were further improved.

Solution processed zinc oxide nanopyramid/silver nanowire transparent network films with highly tunable light scattering properties

KAUST Repository

Mehra, Saahil

2013-01-01

Metal nanowire transparent networks are promising replacements to indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes for optoelectronic devices. While the transparency and sheet resistance are key metrics for transparent electrode performance, independent control of the film light scattering properties is important to developing multifunctional electrodes for improved photovoltaic absorption. Here we show that controlled incorporation of ZnO nanopyramids into a metal nanowire network film affords independent, highly tunable control of the scattering properties (haze) with minimal effects on the transparency and sheet resistance. Varying the zinc oxide/silver nanostructure ratios prior to spray deposition results in sheet resistances, transmission (600 nm), and haze (600 nm) of 6-30 Ω □^-1, 68-86%, and 34-66%, respectively. Incorporation of zinc oxide nanopyramid scattering agents into the conducting nanowire mesh has a negligible effect on mesh connectivity, providing a straightforward method of controlling electrode scattering properties. The decoupling of the film scattering power and electrical characteristics makes these films promising candidates for highly scattering transparent electrodes in optoelectronic devices and can be generalized to other metal nanowire films as well as carbon nanotube transparent electrodes. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Tungsten oxide@polypyrrole core-shell nanowire arrays as novel negative electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fengmei; Zhan, Xueying; Cheng, Zhongzhou; Wang, Zhenxing; Wang, Qisheng; Xu, Kai; Safdar, Muhammad; He, Jun

2015-02-11

Among active pseudocapacitive materials, polypyrrole (PPy) is a promising electrode material in electrochemical capacitors. PPy-based materials research has thus far focused on its electrochemical performance as a positive electrode rather than as a negative electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). Here high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors are designed with tungsten oxide@PPy (WO3 @PPy) core-shell nanowire arrays and Co(OH)2 nanowires grown on carbon fibers. The WO3 @PPy core-shell nanowire electrode exhibits a high capacitance (253 mF/cm2) in negative potentials (-1.0-0.0 V). The ASCs packaged with CF-Co(OH)2 as a positive electrode and CF-WO3 @PPy as a negative electrode display a high volumetric capacitance up to 2.865 F/cm3 based on volume of the device, an energy density of 1.02 mWh/cm3 , and very good stability performance. These findings promote the application of PPy-based nanostructures as advanced negative electrodes for ASCs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoresponsive properties of ultrathin silicon nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran, Duy P.; Macdonald, Thomas J.; Nann, Thomas; Thierry, Benjamin; Wolfrum, Bernhard; Stockmann, Regina; Offenhäusser, Andreas

2014-01-01

Functional silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are promising building blocks in the design of highly sensitive photodetectors and bio-chemical sensors. We systematically investigate the photoresponse properties of ultrathin SiNWs (20 nm) fabricated using a size-reduction method based on e-beam lithography and tetramethylammonium hydroxide wet-etching. The high-quality SiNWs were able to detect light from the UV to the visible range with excellent sensitivity (∼1 pW/array), good time response, and high photoresponsivity (R ∼ 2.5 × 10 4  A/W). Improvement of the ultrathin SiNWs' photoresponse has been observed in comparison to 40 nm counter-part nanowires. These properties are attributable to the predominance surface-effect due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of ultrathin SiNWs. Long-term measurements at different temperatures in both the forward and reverse bias directions demonstrated the stability and reliability of the fabricated device. By sensitizing the fabricated SiNW arrays with cadmium telluride quantum dots (QDs), hybrid QD SiNW devices displayed an improvement in photocurrent response under UV light, while preserving their performance in the visible light range. The fast, stable, and high photoresponse of these hybrid nanostructures is promising towards the development of optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices

Photoresponsive properties of ultrathin silicon nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tran, Duy P.; Macdonald, Thomas J.; Nann, Thomas; Thierry, Benjamin, E-mail: a.offenhaeusser@fz-juelich.de, E-mail: benjamin.thierry@unisa.edu.au [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, MM Bldg., Mawson Lakes Blvd., Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095 (Australia); Wolfrum, Bernhard; Stockmann, Regina; Offenhäusser, Andreas, E-mail: a.offenhaeusser@fz-juelich.de, E-mail: benjamin.thierry@unisa.edu.au [Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 2.4v Bldg., Wilhelm-Johnen St., Jülich 52428 (Germany)

2014-12-08

Functional silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are promising building blocks in the design of highly sensitive photodetectors and bio-chemical sensors. We systematically investigate the photoresponse properties of ultrathin SiNWs (20 nm) fabricated using a size-reduction method based on e-beam lithography and tetramethylammonium hydroxide wet-etching. The high-quality SiNWs were able to detect light from the UV to the visible range with excellent sensitivity (∼1 pW/array), good time response, and high photoresponsivity (R ∼ 2.5 × 10{sup 4 }A/W). Improvement of the ultrathin SiNWs' photoresponse has been observed in comparison to 40 nm counter-part nanowires. These properties are attributable to the predominance surface-effect due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of ultrathin SiNWs. Long-term measurements at different temperatures in both the forward and reverse bias directions demonstrated the stability and reliability of the fabricated device. By sensitizing the fabricated SiNW arrays with cadmium telluride quantum dots (QDs), hybrid QD SiNW devices displayed an improvement in photocurrent response under UV light, while preserving their performance in the visible light range. The fast, stable, and high photoresponse of these hybrid nanostructures is promising towards the development of optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices.

Superhydrophobic multi-scale ZnO nanostructures fabricated by chemical vapor deposition method.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ming; Feng, Chengheng; Wu, Chunxia; Ma, Weiwei; Cai, Lan

2009-07-01

The ZnO nanostructures were synthesized on Si(100) substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Different Morphologies of ZnO nanostructures, such as nanoparticle film, micro-pillar and micro-nano multi-structure, were obtained with different conditions. The results of XRD and TEM showed the good quality of ZnO crystal growth. Selected area electron diffraction analysis indicates the individual nano-wire is single crystal. The wettability of ZnO was studied by contact angle admeasuring apparatus. We found that the wettability can be changed from hydrophobic to super-hydrophobic when the structure changed from smooth particle film to single micro-pillar, nano-wire and micro-nano multi-scale structure. Compared with the particle film with contact angle (CA) of 90.7 degrees, the CA of single scale microstructure and sparse micro-nano multi-scale structure is 130-140 degrees, 140-150 degrees respectively. But when the surface is dense micro-nano multi-scale structure such as nano-lawn, the CA can reach to 168.2 degrees . The results indicate that microstructure of surface is very important to the surface wettability. The wettability on the micro-nano multi-structure is better than single-scale structure, and that of dense micro-nano multi-structure is better than sparse multi-structure.

Semiconductor Nanowires and Nanotubes for Energy Conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Fardy, Melissa Anne

In recent years semiconductor nanowires and nanotubes have garnered increased attention for their unique properties. With their nanoscale dimensions comes high surface area and quantum confinement, promising enhancements in a wide range of applications. 1-dimensional nanostructures are especially attractive for energy conversion applications where photons, phonons, and electrons come into play. Since the bohr exciton radius and phonon and electron mean free paths are on the same length scales as nanowire diameters, optical, thermal, and electrical properties can be tuned by simple nanowire size adjustments. In addition, the high surface area inherent to nanowires and nanotubes lends them towards efficient charge separation and superior catalytic performance. In thermoelectric power generation, the nanoscale wire diameter can effectively scatter phonons, promoting reductions in thermal conductivity and enhancements in the thermoelectric figure of merit. To that end, single-crystalline arrays of PbS, PbSe, and PbTe nanowires have been synthesized by a chemical vapor transport approach. The electrical and thermal transport properties of the nanowires were characterized to investigate their potential as thermoelectric materials. Compared to bulk, the lead chalcogenide nanowires exhibit reduced thermal conductivity below 100 K by up to 3 orders of magnitude, suggesting that they may be promising thermoelectric materials. Smaller diameters and increased surface roughness are expected to give additional enhancements. The solution-phase synthesis of PbSe nanowires via oriented attachment of nanoparticles enables facile surface engineering and diameter control. Branched PbSe nanowires synthesized by this approach showed near degenerately doped charge carrier concentrations. Compared to the bulk, the PbSe nanowires exhibited a similar Seebeck coefficient and a significant reduction in thermal conductivity in the temperature range 20 K to 300 K. Thermal annealing of the Pb

On the thermal growth and properties of doped TiO{sub 2} and In{sub 2}O{sub 3} elongated nanostructures and nanoplates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cremades, A. [Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Herrera, M. [Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ensenada (Mexico); Bartolomé, J.; Vásquez, G.C. [Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Maestre, D., E-mail: davidmaestre@fis.ucm.es [Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Piqueras, J. [Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2014-11-15

In this work, the driving forces behind the growth mechanisms of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2} micro- and nano-structures grown by an evaporation–solidification method are discussed. Effective or limited doping incorporation and its influence on the growth and morphology of the low dimensional structures are also assessed. A dislocation driven growth mechanism is proposed for indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO) and zinc doped indium oxide (IZO) nanowires. This growth mechanism is extended to the growth of IZO nano-plates. On the other hand, different low dimensional TiO{sub 2} morphologies, mainly nanowires, needles, and bidimensional leaf-like nanostructures, have been obtained by an anisotropic induced growth. By introducing Cr in the precursor mixture, needles are formed showing stepped lateral faces related to oxygen defect stoichiometry areas as observed by EDS mapping.

Bulk to nanostructured vanadium pentaoxide-nanowires (V2O5-NWs) for high energy density supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Ahirrao, Dinesh J.; Mohanapriya., K.; Jha, Neetu

2018-04-01

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) has attracted huge attention in field of energy storage including supercapacitor electrodes due to its low cost and layered structure. In this present study, Bulk V2O5 has been prepared by the calcination of ammonium metavanadate followed by the synthesis of V2O5-nanowires (V2O5-NWs) by hydrothermal treatment of bulk V2O5. Obtained V2O5-NWs was further used to fabricate the supercapacitor electrodes. Structure and morphology analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy storage capability of as prepared nanowires was investigated by Galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in aqueous electrolyte (1M H2SO4). High specific capacitantance of about 622 F/g was achieved at 1 A/g. Along with high storage by faradic charge storage mechanism; V2O5-NWs electrodes also possess high stability. It could retain 63% of its initial capacitance even after 1000 GCD cycles. Excellent performance of V2O5-NWs promotes its commercial utilization for the development of high performance supercapacitors.

Mechanical behavior enhancement of ZnO nanowire by embedding different nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Vazinishayan

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, we employed commercial finite element modeling (FEM software package ABAQUS to analyze mechanical properties of ZnO nanowire before and after embedding with different kinds of nanowires, having different materials and cross-section models such as Au (circular, Ag (pentagonal and Si (rectangular using three point bending technique. The length and diameter of the ZnO nanowire were measured to be 12,280 nm and 103.2 nm, respectively. In addition, Au, Ag and Si nanowires were considered to have the length of 12,280 nm and the diameter of 27 nm. It was found that after embedding Si nanowire with rectangular cross-section into the ZnO nanowire, the distribution of Von Misses stresses criterion, displacement and strain were decreased than the other nanowires embedded. The highest stiffness, the elastic deformation and the high strength against brittle failure have been made by Si nanowire comparison to the Au and Ag nanowires, respectively. Keywords: Nanowires, Material effects, Mechanical properties, Brittle failure

Mechanical behavior enhancement of ZnO nanowire by embedding different nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Vazinishayan, Ali; Yang, Shuming; Lambada, Dasaradha Rao; Wang, Yiming

2018-06-01

In this work, we employed commercial finite element modeling (FEM) software package ABAQUS to analyze mechanical properties of ZnO nanowire before and after embedding with different kinds of nanowires, having different materials and cross-section models such as Au (circular), Ag (pentagonal) and Si (rectangular) using three point bending technique. The length and diameter of the ZnO nanowire were measured to be 12,280 nm and 103.2 nm, respectively. In addition, Au, Ag and Si nanowires were considered to have the length of 12,280 nm and the diameter of 27 nm. It was found that after embedding Si nanowire with rectangular cross-section into the ZnO nanowire, the distribution of Von Misses stresses criterion, displacement and strain were decreased than the other nanowires embedded. The highest stiffness, the elastic deformation and the high strength against brittle failure have been made by Si nanowire comparison to the Au and Ag nanowires, respectively.

Microwave exfoliated graphene oxide/TiO{sub 2} nanowire hybrid for high performance lithium ion battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishtiaque Shuvo, Mohammad Arif; Rodriguez, Gerardo; Karim, Hasanul; Lin, Yirong [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968 (United States); Islam, Md Tariqul; Noveron, Juan C. [Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968 (United States); Ramabadran, Navaneet [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

2015-09-28

Lithium ion battery (LIB) is a key solution to the demand of ever-improving, high energy density, clean-alternative energy systems. In LIB, graphite is the most commonly used anode material; however, lithium-ion intercalation in graphite is limited, hindering the battery charge rate and capacity. To date, one of the approaches in LIB performance improvement is by using porous carbon (PC) to replace graphite as anode material. PC's pore structure facilitates ion transport and has been proven to be an excellent anode material candidate in high power density LIBs. In addition, to overcome the limited lithium-ion intercalation obstacle, nanostructured anode assembly has been extensively studied to increase the lithium-ion diffusion rate. Among these approaches, high specific surface area metal oxide nanowires connecting nanostructured carbon materials accumulation have shown promising results for enhanced lithium-ion intercalation. Herein, we demonstrate a hydrothermal approach of growing TiO{sub 2} nanowires (TON) on microwave exfoliated graphene oxide (MEGO) to further improve LIB performance over PC. This MEGO-TON hybrid not only uses the high surface area of MEGO but also increases the specific surface area for electrode–electrolyte interaction. Therefore, this new nanowire/MEGO hybrid anode material enhances both the specific capacity and charge–discharge rate. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for materials characterization. Battery analyzer was used for measuring the electrical performance of the battery. The testing results have shown that MEGO-TON hybrid provides up to 80% increment of specific capacity compared to PC anode.

Influence of the Hydrothermal Method Growth Parameters on the Zinc Oxide Nanowires Deposited on Several Substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Concepción Mejía-García

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We report the synthesis of ZnO nanowires grown on several substrates (PET, glass, and Si using a two-step process: (a preparation of the seed layer on the substrate by spin coating, from solutions of zinc acetate dihydrate and 1-propanol, and (b growth of the ZnO nanostructures by dipping the substrate in an equimolar solution of zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine. Subsequently, films were thermally treated with a commercial microwave oven (350 and 700 W for 5, 20, and 35 min. The ZnO nanowires obtained were characterized structurally, morphologically, and optically using XRD, SEM, and UV-VIS transmission, respectively. XRD patterns spectra revealed the presence of Zn(OH2 on the films grown on glass and Si substrates. A preferential orientation along c-axis directions for films grown on PET substrate was observed. An analysis by SEM revealed that the growth of the ZnO nanowires on PET and glass is better than the growth on Si when the same growth parameters are used. On glass substrates, ZnO nanowires less than 50 nm in diameter and between 200 nm and 1200 nm in length were obtained. The ZnO nanowires band gap energy for the films grown on PET and glass was obtained from optical transmission spectra.

Study of spin dynamics and damping on the magnetic nanowire arrays with various nanowire widths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jaehun [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Fujii, Yuya; Konioshi, Katsunori [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Yoon, Jungbum [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Kim, Nam-Hui; Jung, Jinyong [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Miwa, Shinji [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Jung, Myung-Hwa [Department of Physics, Sogang University, Seoul, 121-742 (Korea, Republic of); Suzuki, Yoshishige [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); You, Chun-Yeol, E-mail: cyyou@inha.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-07-01

We investigate the spin dynamics including Gilbert damping in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. We have measured the ferromagnetic resonance of ferromagnetic nanowire arrays using vector-network analyzer ferromagnetic resonance (VNA-FMR) and analyzed the results with the micromagnetic simulations. We find excellent agreement between the experimental VNA-FMR spectra and micromagnetic simulations result for various applied magnetic fields. We find that the same tendency of the demagnetization factor for longitudinal and transverse conditions, N{sub z} (N{sub y}) increases (decreases) as increasing the nanowire width in the micromagnetic simulations while N{sub x} is almost zero value in transverse case. We also find that the Gilbert damping constant increases from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse case, while it is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case. - Highlights: • We investigate the spin dynamic properties in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. • The demagnetization factors have similar tendency with the prism geometry results. • The Gilbert damping constant is increased from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse. • The Gilbert damping constant is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case.

Aluminum-catalyzed silicon nanowires: Growth methods, properties, and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hainey, Mel F.; Redwing, Joan M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)

2016-12-15

Metal-mediated vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth is a promising approach for the fabrication of silicon nanowires, although residual metal incorporation into the nanowires during growth can adversely impact electronic properties particularly when metals such as gold and copper are utilized. Aluminum, which acts as a shallow acceptor in silicon, is therefore of significant interest for the growth of p-type silicon nanowires but has presented challenges due to its propensity for oxidation. This paper summarizes the key aspects of aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth along with wire properties and device results. In the first section, aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth is discussed with a specific emphasis on methods to mitigate aluminum oxide formation. Next, the influence of growth parameters such as growth temperature, precursor partial pressure, and hydrogen partial pressure on nanowire morphology is discussed, followed by a brief review of the growth of templated and patterned arrays of nanowires. Aluminum incorporation into the nanowires is then discussed in detail, including measurements of the aluminum concentration within wires using atom probe tomography and assessment of electrical properties by four point resistance measurements. Finally, the use of aluminum-catalyzed VLS growth for device fabrication is reviewed including results on single-wire radial p-n junction solar cells and planar solar cells fabricated with nanowire/nanopyramid texturing.