Magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of magnetic microwire arrays

Using magnetic force lines as invisible template, cobalt microwire arrays, which are formed by cobalt nanoparticles and array along the direction of magnetic force lines, have been successfully obtained. It was confirmed that strong interaction between the synthetic magnetic material and the magnet template has a key effect on the formation of the arrays while weak interaction leads to the formation of individual microwires. This result provides us a new idea that the magnetic force lines could be an ideal template for magnetic material arrays and by controlling the arraying manner of magnet templates, different magnetic patterns could be obtained.