Kinematics of electromigration-driven sliding of Co nanorod fillers inside multi-walled carbon nanotubes

• Published in: Nanoscale advances 2024-02, Vol.6 (5), p.148-1485
• Main Authors: Adachi, Kensuke, Matsuyama, Shogo, Sakai, Yuki, Kohno, Hideo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry
• ISSN: 2516-0230; 2516-0230
• DOI: 10.1039/d3na01149f

The movement of Co nanorods driven by electromigration inside multi-walled carbon nanotubes was observed using in situ transmission electron microscopy. This study provides a unique method of experimental determination of both the electromigration force strength and sliding friction. When the tip of a biased electrode was located within the portion of a Co nanorod filler and an electric current was applied to push a part of the Co filler along the flow of electrons, the Co filler showed a trigonometric motion. Both the electromigration force strength and sliding friction were determined by analysis of the trigonometric movements. When a reversed electric current was applied to pull a part of the Co nanorod filler, its motion was hyperbolic-cosine like, and the motion was not suitable to determine the strengths of the two forces. Our method and the results would be useful for the development of the methods to precisely control mass transfer at the nanoscale. Specially-designed nanoscale electromigration experiments combined with in situ TEM observation enable us to determine the intensities of the force of electromigration and the sliding friction working on Co nanorod fillers moving inside MWCNTs.