One-step fabrication of crystalline metal nanostructures by direct nanoimprinting below melting temperatures.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 28348374.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms14910 and PMC identifier 5379067.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
Controlled fabrication of metallic nanostructures plays a central role in much of modern science and technology, because changing the dimensions of a nanocrystal enables tailoring of its mechanical, electronic, optical, catalytic and antibacterial properties. Here we show direct superplastic nanoimprinting (SPNI) of crystalline metals well below their melting temperatures, generating ordered nanowire arrays with aspect ratios up to ∼2,000 and imprinting features as small as 8 nm. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra reveal strongly enhanced electromagnetic signals from the prepared nanorod arrays with sizes up to ∼100 nm, which indicates that our technique can provide an ideal way to fabricate robust SERS substrates. SPNI, as a one-step, controlled and reproducible nanofabrication method, could facilitate the applications of metal nanostructures in bio-sensing, diagnostic imaging, catalysis, food industry and environmental conservation.