Fabrication and characterization of electrodeposited Co1-xCrx nanowires

Co1-xCrx alloy nanowires with 0.01<0.93 were fabricated by electrodeposition in a porous alumina membrane from an electrolyte containing Co and Cr ions. The composition, structure and magnetic properties of the nanowires have been characterized. Cobalt-rich nanowires were electrodeposited at a potential of -1.0 V relative to Ag/AgCl and chromium-rich nanowires were deposited beyond -3.5 V. The optimized processing conditions include hydrogen annealing to give hysteresis loops for the Co80Cr20 nanowires with coercivity of up to 200 mT and squareness of up to 0.95. Magnetization of the Co80Cr20 nanowire is 77 A m(2) kg(-1) and the energy product of the arrays is 35 kJ m(-3). (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.