摘要 |
In exemplary implementations of this invention, hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide nanowires is morphologically controlled. Metal complex ions are used to suppress growth in a face-selective manner, by electrostatic crystal growth inhibition. This permits the aspect ratio (height/diameter) of the nanowires to be dynamically tuned over a wide range, from needle-like nanowires that are efficient field emitters to flattened nanowires with a platelet-like shape. The nanowire synthesis is all inorganic and occurs at low temperatures (e.g., <=60° C.). The growth inhibition may be predictively modeled, using speciation plots and treating non-zinc complex ions as ligands. Microfluidic channels may be used for the synthesis, with different solutions flowing down different channels, permitting nanowires with different properties to be synthesized in parallel. This invention may be used to produce field emission devices and nanowire-embedded AC electroluminescent devices, and for in-situ fabrication of spatially complex integrated devices in a polymeric microfluidic system.
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