NIRT: Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Boron and Metal-boride Nanowires, and Nanoscale Devices Built from them

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This four-year Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) project at Washington University, with Professor William E. Buhro as principal investigator, pursues a new family of one-dimensional nanostructures form elemental boron and metal-borides. These nanomaterials are expected to posses mechanical strengths, chemical and thermal stabilities, and electrical (metallic) conductivities comparable to or even surpassing those of carbon nanotubes. Boron and metal-boride nanostructures will be ideal candidates for nanoscale electrical interconnects and semi-conducting components in nanoelectronic and nano-electrochemical devices. Synthetic methods to be employed include catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and plasma techniques. Mechanical properties of nanotubes and nanowhiskers will be measured on mechanical-testing stages of scanning transmission electron microscope. Electrical-transport properties will be studied using the nanoelectronic-testing stage developed at Washington University.