Document Type
Article
Original Publication Date
2014
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Journal of Applied Physics
Volume
116
Issue
4
DOI of Original Publication
10.1063/1.4884878
Date of Submission
October 2015
Abstract
Metallic nanostructures are thermodynamically unstable due to the excess of energy of large numbers of surface atoms. Morphological instability, such as Rayleigh breakup, sintering, and coalescence, can be observed at a temperature much lower than the bulk melting point of the metal. We study the morphological and crystalline evolution of well-aligned free-standing nickelnanorod arrays at elevated temperatures up to 600 °C. The as-deposited nickel nanorods are faceted with sharp nanotips, which are deformed at annealing temperatures higher than 400 °C due to strong surface diffusion. A mud-crack like pattern is formed in the samples annealed above 400 °C, leading to the generation of interconnected porous structure. Meanwhile, the X-ray diffraction reveals the recrystallization of nickel nanocrystals when annealed from 300 to 600 °C.
Rights
Alrashid, E., and Ye, D. Surface diffusion driven morphological instability in free-standing nickel nanorod arrays. Journal of Applied Physics, 116, 043501 (2014). Copyright © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.
Is Part Of
VCU Physics Publications
Comments
Originally published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4884878