Synthesis and Characterization of Mixed-Metal Core-Shell Nanowires

Template methods offer a very simple and facile approach to the controlled growth of nanowires. The templates themselves can be fabricated with a range of pore sizes and the growth of the wires within the templates can readily occur with a variety of diameters and lengths. Use of electrochemical deposition to synthesize ordered arrays of nanostructures in anodic alumina membranes (Anodic Alumina Membrane) is well studied. Electrochemical growth within the templates depends on the applied current. This allows one to not only grow nanowires within template pores but to grow nanotubes as well. If one then deposits metal within the tubes by a subsequent deposition step, core-shell nanowires can be produced. Herein, we describe the fabrication and characterization of both nanotubes and mixed-metal core-shell nanostructures produced by controlling the current density within AAM.