Preparation of Ag/Cu Janus nanowires: Electrodeposition in track-etched polymer templates

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2015-08, Vol.356-357, p.57-61
• Main Authors: Zhu, X.R., Wang, C.M., Fu, Q.B., Jiao, Z., Wang, W.D., Qin, G.Y., Xue, J.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bimetals; Copper; Electrodeposition; Janus nanowires; Motors; Nanopore; Nanostructure; Nanowires; Porosity; Silver; Solvents; Track-etched
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2015.04.061

•In this paper, we introduce a simple method for preparation of Janus nanowires by electrodeposition.•Using ion-track-etched PC polymer templates and commercial PC track-etched membrane templates, Ag/Cu Janus nanowires fabricated by this method all have uniform size. No matter how the holes array in the template, regular or not, the nanowires prepared by this method have similar properties.•By controlling the etching time, the size of the nanowires could be controlled easily and special shape nanowires also can be prepared by this template.•The polymer template is very easy to dissolve thoroughly and has no damage to nanowires almost. It is suitable for the preparation of nanowires suspension.•This method also has better applicability for polymer templates and can be seen as a simple convenient method for the preparation of Ag/Cu Janus nanowires. Bimetal (Janus) nanowire has been widely used as a promising nanoscale motor. In this paper we present a highly controllable method to fabricate Ag/Cu Janus nanowires using track-etched polymer templates. Ag/Cu Janus nanowires with uniform size and stabilized structure have been successfully fabricated by electrodepositing Ag nanowires, and subsequently Cu nanowires in track-etched polymer templates. The pore size of nanopores prepared by this template is uniform and continuously controlled, so aperture of achieved nanowires are uniform and can be regulated. This polymer template can dissolve inorganic solvents that do not react with the nanowires, making it is easy to release the nanowires into solution. The nanopore shape in the track-etched templates is adjustable (e.g. conical), nanowires with more special shapes could be fabricated. Thus, these features make this simple and inexpensive method very suitable for the preparation of Janus nanowire.