Shooting at the nanoscale: Collection and acceleration of nanowires with an external electric field

Abstract

We report an approach for collecting, charging, and exceedingly fast motion of silver nanowires (Ag NWs) using an external static electric field. With a proper choice of suspension medium, dispersed Ag NWs can be efficiently driven to align and accumulate vertically on the edges of two parallel gold microelectrodes on a glass substrate surface by dielectrophoresis. Then, at sufficiently high electric fields (>2.0×105 V/m), these NWs break at the electrode contact point while carrying some net charge. Afterwards, they immediately accelerate in the field direction and, despite an extremely low Reynolds number for the motion of NWs in viscous liquids, move with high speeds (>25 mm/s) toward the counter electrode. By solving the appropriate equation of motion, the amount of the net charge on the NWs in the beginning of the motion is estimated as ∼1×10−14 C. The described NW-shooting mechanism can be employed to construct a NW “gun” for piercing soft thin membranes at nanoscale. Furthermore, we show that the interplay of the competing dielectrophoretic and electric field forces leads to interesting dynamics for the NWs.

Advances in constructing silver nanowire-based conductive pathways for flexible and stretchable electronics

“…5f. 243 In the electrokinetic assembly process, the degree of alignment of AgNWs is determined by the electric field strength, frequency, and electrode geometric dimensions. [244][245][246] Regarding the electric field-induced transport, Farain et al mentioned that it is necessary to select a suitable suspension medium with low conductivity and high viscosity to employ a large electric field in order to obtain controllable movement of AgNWs.…”

Effects of Static Electric Fields on the Excitations of Silver Nanowire Dimers

“…Research on the optical properties of nanoparticles under applied external static electric fields is in its infancy. Even so, Farain et al , made two important experimental contributions in one of the few investigations in the literature that used silver nanowires and an external static electric field. In the initial experiment, they investigated the rotational dynamics of silver nanowires in viscous dielectric liquids under the influence of a static uniform electric field .…”

“…Their second study focused on the fast mobility of silver nanowires within a similar environment to that in the initial work. This investigation has potential applications on thin membrane piercings using nanowires . In addition to silver nanowires, rotational dynamics and alignment modifications with AC electric fields have been considered for gold, − platinum, and nickel nanowires.…”

“…This investigation has potential applications on thin membrane piercings using nanowires. 35 In addition to silver nanowires, rotational dynamics and alignment modifications with AC electric fields have been considered for gold, 36−38 platinum, 38 and nickel 38 nanowires.…”

Electric Field Induced Electrorotation of 2D Perovskite Microplates

“…On the other hand, a multitude of manners have been developed to drive the nanowire-based motors via transferring external energy into mechanical motion, e.g., by chemical fuels [ 13 , 14 ], acoustic [ 15 ], magnetic [ 16 , 17 ], optic [ 18 , 19 , 20 ] and electric-induced external energy [ 21 ]. Among them, the electrically driven technique exhibits benefits that go further than being applicable for wide spectrum of nanowires, regardless of their metallic or non-metallic nature and also enabling simultaneous control of lateral alignment and synchronous rotation [ 22 , 23 ]. More importantly, by combining alternating and constant electric fields via four-electrode configuration, the targeted nanowires can be positioned at an arbitrary location in between the electrodes [ 24 , 25 , 26 ], as well as efficiently carrying out contactless conductivity measurements [ 27 , 28 ].…”