Grain size analysis of metal nanowires made by embossing method

• Main Author: Goh, Duan Jian
• Other Authors: Hong Li
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Nanotechnology; Engineering::Materials::Nanostructured materials; Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Alternative, renewable energy sources
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/139284
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

At present, nanowires have been gaining attention widely due to their intrinsic properties and wide range of application in flexible electronics. Due to their nanoscale sizes, these materials exhibit unique properties that are different from their bulk counterparts. Amongst the many uses of nanowires, they have played vital roles in the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Numerous studies reporting nanowires’ role in the CO2 reduction process to enhance catalytic activities have been carried out. Amongst these methods, there are insufficient results to explain the direct relation on how metallic granular arrangements at nanoscopic scale can affect catalytic capabilities of nanowires. In this project, the motivation behind this project seeks to understand heat treatment effects on grain size of silver nanowires. These include further investigation on grain boundary changes due to heat treatment and their implication in catalytic reactions. Additionally, silver nanowires up to lengths of 6μm were successfully fabricated with C60 and ethanol lubricant. From the fabricated nanowires obtained, subsequent experimental set-up can carry out grain size analysis. Relationship between annealing effects on grain size topography may thus allow for further optimization for fabrication of higher catalytic performance nanowire catalysts.