Preparation and characterization of highly ordered NiO nanowire arrays by sol-gel template method

Highly ordered nickel monoxide (NiO) nanowire arrays were fabricated by sol-gel synthesis within the pores of anodic alumina membrane (AAM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscoy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the topography and crystalloid structure of NiO nanowire arrays. The length and diameter of the NiO nanowires depended on the thickness of the AAM and the diameter of the pores. The results indicated that the NiO nanowires were uniformly assembled into the ordered nanopores of the AAM and paralleled to each other. Nickel monoxide nanotubes were also fabricated with the same method by changing the immersing time. This new method to prepare NiO nanowire arrays may be important from gas sensors to various engineering materials.