A General Synthetic Approach to Interconnected Nanowire/Nanotube and Nanotube/Nanowire/Nanotube Heterojunctions with Branched Topology

Abstract

A large variety of interconnected nanowire/nanotube (NW/NT) and nanotube/nanowire/nanotube (NT/NW/NT, see picture) hybrid architectures with branched topology have been prepared using a combinatorial process of electrodepositing nanowires in the branched channels of anodic aluminum oxide templates, selectively etching part of the deposited nanowires, and growing nanotubes in the remaining empty channels on the ends of the nanowires.