Troy R. Hendricks

Step-edge like template fabrication of polyelectrolyte supported nickel nanowires

A method to produce novel polymer supported nickel nanowires, which are asymmetric (or anisotropic) in shape and function, using an alumina membrane as a template is presented. This paper reports a step-edge like fabrication technique using anodized alumina membranes. First the membrane is treated with fluorosilanes to make the surface completely hydrophobic. It is then cleaved to expose the freshly prepared alumina edges, which are hydrophilic. These freshly cleaved hydrophilic edges are used as templates for the deposition of polyelectrolyte multilayers and nickel. We selectively deposit polyelectrolyte multilayers on those hydrophilic edges. Then the electroless deposition of nickel is used to create nickel nanowires. After dissolving the membranes, we obtain nanostructures which are asymmetric in shape and function.

Processing of loose carbon nanotubes into isolated, high density submicron channels

Loose multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were processed into a bundle of 19,600 individual channels with an individual channel diameter of 0.4 microm using a fiber drawing process. First, a powder of sodium silicate solution containing purified MWNTs was created. A glass capillary tube was filled with the powder and drawn into fibers. The fibers were cut into segments, bundled and redrawn multiple times to create fibers with multiple channels containing MWNTs. This processing approach created thousands of uniformly ordered channels containing dispersed MWNTs in a glass matrix while simultaneously aligning the MWNTs. The bulk resistivity of the MWNT-silicate channel has been improved by 38% after two consecutive draws as a result of the increased MWNT fraction.