On the Growth Mechanism of Nickel and Cobalt Nanowires and Comparison of Their Magnetic Properties

Magnetic nanowires (NWs) are ideal materials for the fabrication of various multifunctional nanostructures which can be manipulated by an external magnetic field. Highly crystalline and textured nanowires of nickel (Ni NWs) and cobalt (Co NWs) with high aspect ratio (similar to 330) and high coercivity have been synthesized by electrodeposition using nickel sulphate hexahydrate (NiSO4 center dot 6H(2)O) and cobalt sulphate heptahydrate (CoSO4 center dot 7H(2)O) respectively on nanoporous alumina membranes. They exhibit a preferential growth along < 110 >. A general mobility assisted growth mechanism for the formation of Ni and Co NWs is proposed. The role of the hydration layer on the resulting one-dimensional geometry in the case of potentiostatic electrodeposition is verified. A very high interwire interaction resulting from magnetostatic dipolar interactions between the nanowires is observed. An unusual low-temperature magnetisation switching for field parallel to the wire axis is evident from the peculiar high field M(T) curve.