Aligning Nanowires for Stretchable Electronics

Nanowires are key ingredients of high-tech composite materials. The properties and performance of these composites depend heavily on the structure and density of the embedded nanowires. Despite significant efforts, a process able to control both parameters simultaneously and compatible with current nanowire deposition methods has not yet been achieved. In this work, we use low magnetic fields to manipulate magnetized nanowires. Hierarchical structures of oriented nanowires were manufactured using vacuum filtration for silver and gold-coated titania nanowires. The produced films were embedded in elastomer and their strain-dependent electrical properties were investigated. Depending on the nanowire orientation and the strain direction in the films, the gauge factor achieved ranged from extremely low to high. To know more, check the recent external page ACS Nano publication.