Fabrication of isolated alloy nanoballs and nanowires using centrifugal force

Abstract

Lead-bismuth alloy nanoballs and nanowires were fabricated using a process based on centrifugal forces. An AAO template with a molten Pb-Bi alloy was sealed in a titanium tube in vacuum at a pressure of 10(-6) Torr, controlled using a molecular turbo-pump. When various centrifugal forces were generated in the titanium tube, nanoscalar alloy balls and wires were formed. During centrifugation, the sealed titanium tube could prevente the oxidation of the Pb-Bi alloy at the interface between the molten alloy and the AAO template. The repulsive force between the nanotube and the molten alloy, and the force applied to the molten alloy inside the AAO template were calculated using the surface tension of the ultrafine tube and centrifugal forces.