Synthesis of Nickel Synthesis of Nickel NanowiresNanowiresBy Jameson ThorntonBy Jameson Thornton

Anant SinghAnant SinghAshton MortazaviAshton Mortazavi

12-12-0612-12-06Engr 45Engr 45

Origins of nanotechnologyOrigins of nanotechnology

““Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin?”pin?”

- Richard Feynman- Richard Feynman

Understanding nanotechnolgyUnderstanding nanotechnolgy

NanoTechnology, or NanoScience?NanoTechnology, or NanoScience?

Nanoscience is the discipline of understanding how Nanoscience is the discipline of understanding how things work, using commonly accepted experimental and things work, using commonly accepted experimental and theoretical techniques. Nanotechnology is the application theoretical techniques. Nanotechnology is the application of that scientific knowledge to a particular industry or of that scientific knowledge to a particular industry or marketplace.marketplace.

-IBM-IBM

What is nanotechnology?What is nanotechnology?

If you ask 100 people If you ask 100 people what nanotechnology what nanotechnology is, you will get 11 is, you will get 11 different answersdifferent answers

90 wont know what it 90 wont know what it isis

The other 10 will give The other 10 will give you varying answersyou varying answers

NanotechnologyNanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the engineering of Nanotechnology is the engineering of function systems at the molecular scale. It function systems at the molecular scale. It refers to the projected ability to construct refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up. items from the bottom up.

-K. Eric Drexler-K. Eric Drexler

Nanotechnology ranges in dimensions Nanotechnology ranges in dimensions from 1 nm to 100 nm.from 1 nm to 100 nm.

Red blood cells(~7-8 m)

Things NaturalThings Natural Things ManmadeThings Manmade

Fly ash~ 10-20m

Head of a pin1-2 mm

Quantum corral of 48 iron atoms on copper surfacepositioned one at a time with an STM tip

Corral diameter 14 nm

Human hair~ 60-120m wide

Ant~ 5 mm

Dust mite

200 m

ATP synthase

~10 nm diameterNanotube electrode

Carbon nanotube~1.3 nm diameter

O O

O

OO

O OO O OO OO

O

S

O

S

O

S

O

S

O

S

O

S

O

S

O

S

PO

O

The Challenge

Fabricate and combine nanoscale building blocks to make useful devices, e.g., a photosynthetic reaction center with integral semiconductor storage.

Mic

row

orl

d

0.1 nm

1 nanometer (nm)

0.01 m10 nm

0.1 m100 nm

1 micrometer (m)

0.01 mm10 m

0.1 mm100 m

1 millimeter (mm)

1 cm10 mm

10-2 m

10-3 m

10-4 m

10-5 m

10-6 m

10-7 m

10-8 m

10-9 m

10-10 m

Visi

ble

Nan

ow

orl

d

1,000 nanometers = In

frar

edU

ltrav

iole

tM

icro

wav

eSo

ft x-

ray

1,000,000 nanometers =

Zone plate x-ray “lens”Outer ring spacing ~35 nm

Office of Basic Energy SciencesOffice of Science, U.S. DOE

Version 05-26-06, pmd

The Scale of Things – Nanometers and MoreThe Scale of Things – Nanometers and More

MicroElectroMechanical (MEMS) devices10 -100 m wide

Red blood cellsPollen grain

Carbon buckyball

~1 nm diameter

Self-assembled,Nature-inspired structureMany 10s of nm

Atoms of siliconspacing 0.078 nm

DNA~2-1/2 nm diameter

Nano ManipulationNano Manipulation

It's like trying to make things out of LEGO blocks It's like trying to make things out of LEGO blocks with boxing gloves on your hands. Yes, you can with boxing gloves on your hands. Yes, you can push the LEGO blocks into great heaps and pile push the LEGO blocks into great heaps and pile them up, but you can't really snap them together them up, but you can't really snap them together the way you'd like.the way you'd like.

- - Ralph Merkle Ralph Merkle

Nano levelNano level

Properties change at the nano level. Properties change at the nano level.

The properties of electrostatic forces as The properties of electrostatic forces as well as quantum forces become well as quantum forces become increasingly important as things get increasingly important as things get smaller. smaller.

Nano scaleNano scale

Crazy things happen at the nano scale Crazy things happen at the nano scale

Opaque subtances become transparent (Copper)Opaque subtances become transparent (Copper)

Inert materials become catalysts (Platinum)Inert materials become catalysts (Platinum)

Stable materials become combustible (Aluminum)Stable materials become combustible (Aluminum)

Solids turn into liquids (Gold)Solids turn into liquids (Gold)

Insulators become conductors (Silicon)Insulators become conductors (Silicon)

NanotechnologyNanotechnology

Importance of volume vs. surface areaImportance of volume vs. surface area

Great heat sinksGreat heat sinks

Mesoporous materialsMesoporous materials

AerogelAerogel

Extremely low thermal Extremely low thermal conductivityconductivity

Nearly 99.8% airNearly 99.8% air

Density nearly that of Density nearly that of airair

NanotubesNanotubes

Usually made from Usually made from carbon networkscarbon networks

Great strengthGreat strength

LightweightLightweight

Applications of NanotubesApplications of Nanotubes

Used for strengthening all sorts of Used for strengthening all sorts of compositescomposites

Strengthening frames for cars and other Strengthening frames for cars and other structuresstructures

Applications in biotechnology field, Applications in biotechnology field, especially as small transporting tubesespecially as small transporting tubes

Dangers of NanotechnologyDangers of Nanotechnology

Molecular manufacturing suddenly will Molecular manufacturing suddenly will create many riskscreate many risks

Dangers of NanotechnologyDangers of Nanotechnology

Disruption of the basis of economy is a Disruption of the basis of economy is a strong possibilitystrong possibility

Nano-built products may be vastly Nano-built products may be vastly overpriced relative to their cost, overpriced relative to their cost, perpetuating unnecessary poverty.perpetuating unnecessary poverty.

Dangers of NanotechnologyDangers of Nanotechnology

Criminals and terrorists could make Criminals and terrorists could make effective use of the technologyeffective use of the technology

Nanotech weapons would be extremely Nanotech weapons would be extremely powerful and could lead to a dangerously powerful and could lead to a dangerously unstable arms race.unstable arms race.

The ExperimentThe Experiment

This experiment was an attempt at a modified technique This experiment was an attempt at a modified technique for synthesizing nickel nanowires from the following for synthesizing nickel nanowires from the following website.website.

http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/nanolab/nickel/index.htmlhttp://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/nanolab/nickel/index.html

Modified ApproachesModified ApproachesNickel PaintNickel Paint

Gold SputteringGold Sputtering

Aluminum (foil)Aluminum (foil)

The ExperimentThe Experiment

SuppliesSuppliesBeakerBeaker

NickelwireNickelwire

Nickel Plating SolutionNickel Plating Solution

Sodium HydroxideSodium Hydroxide

Nitric AcidNitric Acid

Alumina Ceramic Whatman Alumina Ceramic Whatman DisksDisks

Power SourcePower Source

The ExperimentThe Experiment

Nickel PaintNickel Paint

Nickel flakes in an acetone solutionNickel flakes in an acetone solution

applied on back of disk similar to the instructions on applied on back of disk similar to the instructions on website for Gallium Indiumwebsite for Gallium Indium

Possible reasons for failurePossible reasons for failureCapillary action of resin in solution may have clogged Capillary action of resin in solution may have clogged filterfilter

Drying of nickel paint may have contracted causing Drying of nickel paint may have contracted causing cracks in the delicate ceramic diskcracks in the delicate ceramic disk

Gold SputteringGold SputteringPlaces a very thin layer of gold plating on back of ceramic disk using Places a very thin layer of gold plating on back of ceramic disk using a sputtering machinea sputtering machine

Possible reasons for FailurePossible reasons for FailurePlating may have been too thin, thereby not completing the circuit Plating may have been too thin, thereby not completing the circuit as we desiredas we desired

Gold is too inert to be disolved to retrieve any nickel nanowiresGold is too inert to be disolved to retrieve any nickel nanowires

Ceramic Disk Gold Plating

Polymer Ring

Copper Backing

Aluminum (foil)Aluminum (foil)

Very thin aluminum sheet applied to back of ceramic diskVery thin aluminum sheet applied to back of ceramic disk

Possible reasons for failurePossible reasons for failurePoor conductionPoor conduction

Difficulty adhering aluminum to ceramic diskDifficulty adhering aluminum to ceramic disk

The ResultsThe Results

Trace of nickel deposits found Trace of nickel deposits found on ceramic disk using nickel on ceramic disk using nickel paint methodpaint method

Nickel flakes found suspended Nickel flakes found suspended in solution using gold in solution using gold sputtering method but could sputtering method but could not be separated from the gold not be separated from the gold platingplating

No nickel plating was found No nickel plating was found using the aluminum method using the aluminum method due to poor conduction pathdue to poor conduction path

ReferencesReferences

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nanotechnologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nanotechnology

http://Stardust.Jpl.NASA.govhttp://Stardust.Jpl.NASA.gov

http://www.iscid.org/encyclopedia/Origins_of_Nanotechnologyhttp://www.iscid.org/encyclopedia/Origins_of_Nanotechnology

http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.htmlhttp://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html

http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/nanolab/nickel/index.htmlhttp://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/nanolab/nickel/index.html

http://www.research.ibm.com/pics/nanotech/defined.shtmlhttp://www.research.ibm.com/pics/nanotech/defined.shtml