Two phase microstructure for Ag–Ni nanowires

In the present study, electrodeposition technique was used to produce Ag–Ni nanowires. Ag–Ni system shows extremely high bulk immiscibility. Nanowire morphology was achieved by employing an anodic alumina membrane having pores of ∼200 nm diameter. Microstructure of as-deposited wire was composed of nano-sized solid solution structured Ag–Ni nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of pure Ag phase. It is proposed that the two phase microstructure resulted from an initial formation of solid solution structured nanoparticles in the alumina template pore followed by nucleation of pure Ag phase over the particles which eventually grew to form the matrix phase.