Fabrication of silica nano wires on the internal perimeter of narrow bore fused silicia tubing by non-isothermal etching

An method for fabrication of long silica nano wires is presented. The nano structured material is an integral part of the inner surface of narrow bore fused silica capillary tubing. The wire preparation method is based on a hydrothermal action and decomposition of 2-chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl methyl ether at elevated temperature. In our previous work, reproducible nano wire outgrowth could only be accomplished in capillaries with an inner diameter less than10 μm [1], and the centre of the capillary lumen remained free of wires. In the present article we report on nano wire outgrowth in capillaries with larger inner diameters. These wires are entangled via carbon nucleating particles and stretch across the entire lumen of the capillary. The long nano wire outgrowth was induced by a time dependent, non isothermal etching of the capillaries. Suggested mechanisms for the growth process are discussed. C 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.