Using template-based electrodeposition, nanowires of different diameters, lengths, and materials can be made. Researchers have recently explored new degrees of freedom of nanowires: porosity and surface morphology. They have succeeded in fabricating nanoporous gold (NPG) nanowires with high surface area and well-defined pore morphology.

They first make single-phase two-component alloy (e.g., Au18Ag82) nanowires using template-based techniques and electrodeposition. The nanowires are then removed from the templates. When the single-phase alloy nanowire is etched in a suitable solution, a nanoporous layer of one component (e.g., Au) can be formed due to the preferential dissolution of the other component (e.g., Ag). As a result, NPG nanowires with ligament size of 35-50 nm and pore sizes of 10-40 nm can be made, as shown above. The pore sizes and morphology depend on the alloy compositions, as can be seen by comparing the two NPG nanowires starting with alloys of different Au content.

 

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