Controlled manipulation of giant hybrid inorganic nanowire assemblies.
The ultimate goal of nanotechnology is the design and fabrication of nanosize building blocks with multiple functionalities and their assembly into large-scale functional structures that can be controllably manipulated. Here we show that hybrid inorganic multisegmented nanowires, with hydrophobic carbon nanotube tails and hydrophilic metal nanowire heads, allow the assembly and manipulation of massive ordered structures in solution, reminiscent of the organic molecular micellar assembly. Further, properly designed assemblies can be manipulated using external stimuli such as magnetic field and light. The hybrid nanowires can have multiple segments including magnetic components, allowing the assembly to be manipulated by external magnetic field. The assembled structures can also be manipulated by modifying the hydrophobicity of the respective components via chemical functionalization and optical irradiation. This approach brings the concept of environment sensitive self-assembling nanomaterials closer to reality.
Department of Applied Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA. ouf@rice.edu
Fung Suong
FS
Ou
Manikoth M
MM
Shaijumon
Pulickel M
PM
Ajayan
D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D006046:Gold