Molybdenum Nanowires by Electrodeposition
Michael P. Zach,
Kwok H. Ng,
Reginald M. Penner*
Metallic molybdenum (Moo) wires with diameters ranging
from 15 nanometers to 1.0 micrometers and lengths of up to 500 micrometers (0.5 millimeters) were prepared in a two-step procedure.
Molybdenum oxide wires were electrodeposited selectively at step edges
and then reduced in hydrogen gas at 500°C to yield Moo.
The hemicylindrical wires prepared by this technique were self-uniform, and the wires prepared in a particular electrodeposition (in batches of
105 to 107) were narrowly distributed in
diameter. Wires were obtained size selectively because the mean wire
diameter was directly proportional to the square root of the
electrolysis time. The metal nanowires could be embedded in a
polystyrene film and lifted off the graphite electrode surface. The
conductivity and mechanical resiliency of individual embedded wires
were similar to those of bulk molybdenum.
Institute for Surface and Interface Science, Department of
Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92679-2025,
USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
rmpenner{at}uci.edu
