Dielectrophoretic Assembly of Electrically Functional Microwires from Nanoparticle Suspensions
Kevin D. Hermanson,
Simon O. Lumsdon,
Jacob P. Williams,
Eric W. Kaler,
Orlin D. Velev*
A new class of microwires can be assembled by dielectrophoresis
from suspensions of metallic nanoparticles. The wires are formed in the
gaps between planar electrodes and can grow faster than 50 micrometers
per second to lengths exceeding 5 millimeters. They have good ohmic
conductance and automatically form electrical connections to conductive
islands or particles. The thickness and the fractal dimension of the
wires can be controlled, and composite wires with a metallic core
surrounded by a latex shell can be assembled. The simple assembly
process and their high surface-to-volume ratio make these structures
promising for wet electronic and bioelectronic circuits.
Center for Molecular and Engineering Thermodynamics, Department of
Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
odvelev{at}unity.ncsu.edu
Present address: Department of Chemical Engineering,
Riddick Hall, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
