Co-Ni alloy nanowires prepared by anodic aluminum oxide template via electrochemical deposition.

The alloy nanowires are more prospective magnetic and shape memory materials. Fabrication of binary or more alloy nanowires using electrochemical deposition process is generally challenging due to the different synthesis conditions of individual elements. In the present work, binary NiCo alloy nanowire arrays have been fabricated by electrochemical deposition using anodic aluminum oxide template medium technique. The optimum conditions (temperature, voltage and time) for synthesis of NiCo alloy nanowire array were achieved based on the ideal experimental conditions of single Ni and Co nanowire arrays. The synthesized NiCo alloy nanowire arrays were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The amorphous NiCo alloy nanowires were crystallized by annealing of 800 degrees C for 1 hour in argon atmosphere. The controlled composition of electrolyte provided to achieve a uniformly distributed chemical composition of Ni and Co (49.26:50.74) in nanowires.