Seeded Nanowire and Microwire Growth from Lithium Alloys.

Han, Sang Yun; Boebinger, Matthew G; Kondekar, Neha P; Worthy, Trevor J; McDowell, Matthew T · Nano Lett · 2018

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Although vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of nanowires from alloy seed particles is common in various semiconductor systems, related wire growth in all-metal systems is rare. Here, we report the spontaneous growth of nano- and microwires from metal seed particles during the cooling of Li-rich bulk alloys containing Au, Ag, or In. The as-grown wires feature Au-, Ag-, or In-rich metal tips and LiOH shafts; the results indicate that the wires grow as Li metal and are converted to polycrystalline LiOH during and/or after growth due to exposure to H<sub>2</sub>O and O<sub>2</sub>. This new process is a simple way to create nanostructures, and the findings suggest that metal nanowire growth from alloy seeds is possible in a variety of systems.