Coating of Nanowires

Abstract

Method for applying a coating to a plurality of nanowires on a component, the method comprising: a) treating the nanowires with a reducing substance, b) immersing the nanowires in a protective substance, c) drying the nanowires, so that the coating is obtained from the protective substance.

Claims

1. Method for applying a coating to a plurality of nanowires on a component, the method comprising: a) treating the nanowires with a reducing substance, b) immersing the nanowires in a protective substance, c) drying the nanowires, so that the coating is obtained from the protective substance.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the protective substance comprises an organic substance.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the protective substance comprises a metal.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the protective substance is chosen in consideration of the material of the nanowires such that in step b) the protective substance is at least partially deposited on the nanowires by physisorption.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the coating on the nanowires formed by steps a) to c) has an average thickness of at most 20 molecular layers.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the component is rinsed with a rinsing fluid between steps a) and b) and/or between steps b) and c).

7. Method for connecting two components by way of a plurality of nanowires, comprising: A) providing a plurality of nanowires with a coating on at least one of the components, B) bringing the components together, so that the components are connected to one another by way of the nanowires.

8. Method for connecting two components by way of a plurality of nanowires, comprising: A) providing a plurality of nanowires with a coating on at least one of the components, B) bringing the components together, so that the components are connected to one another by way of the nanowires, wherein the coating is obtained in step A) by a method according to claim 1.

9. Method according to claim 7, also comprising: C) at least partially removing the coating of the nanowires by heating.

10. Method according to claim 2, wherein the protective substance comprises a metal.

11. Method according to claim 2, wherein the protective substance is chosen in consideration of the material of the nanowires such that in step b) the protective substance is at least partially deposited on the nanowires by physisorption.

12. Method according to claim 2, wherein the coating on the nanowires formed by steps a) to c) has an average thickness of at most 20 molecular layers.

13. Method according to claim 2, wherein the component is rinsed with a rinsing fluid between steps a) and b) and/or between steps b) and c).

14. Method according to claim 3, wherein the protective substance comprises a metal.

15. Method according to claim 3, wherein the protective substance is chosen in consideration of the material of the nanowires such that in step b) the protective substance is at least partially deposited on the nanowires by physisorption.

16. Method according to claim 3, wherein the coating on the nanowires formed by steps a) to c) has an average thickness of at most 20 molecular layers.

17. Method according to claim 3, wherein the component is rinsed with a rinsing fluid between steps a) and b) and/or between steps b) and c).

18. Method according to claim 4, wherein the protective substance comprises a metal.

19. Method according to claim 4, wherein the protective substance is chosen in consideration of the material of the nanowires such that in step b) the protective substance is at least partially deposited on the nanowires by physisorption.

20. Method according to claim 4, wherein the coating on the nanowires formed by steps a) to c) has an average thickness of at most 20 molecular layers.

Description

[0053] The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the figures. The figures show particularly preferred exemplary embodiments, to which however the invention is not restricted. The figures and the relative sizes shown therein are only schematic. In the figures:

[0054] FIG. 1 shows the result of a method according to the invention for applying a coating to a plurality of nanowires on a component,

[0055] FIG. 2 shows the result of a first embodiment of a method according to the invention for connecting two components by way of a plurality of nanowires,

[0056] FIG. 3 shows the result of a second embodiment of a method according to the invention for connecting two components by way of a plurality of nanowires,

[0057] FIG. 4 shows the result of a third embodiment of a method according to the invention for connecting two components by way of a plurality of nanowires.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a component 4 with a plurality of nanowires 1, which have a coating 2.

[0059] The coating 2 was obtained by the following method: [0060] a) treating the nanowires 1 with a reducing substance, [0061] b) immersing the nanowires 1 in a protective substance, [0062] c) drying the nanowires 1, so that the coating 2 is obtained from the protective substance.

[0063] The protective substance may comprise an organic substance and/or a metal. The protective substance was chosen in consideration of the material of the nanowires 1 such that in step b) the protective substance is at least partially deposited on the nanowires 1 by physisorption. The coating 2 formed by steps a) to c) has on the nanowires 1 an average thickness of at most 20 atomic layers or molecular layers. The component 4 is rinsed with a rinsing fluid between steps a) and b) and between steps b) and c).

[0064] FIG. 2 shows an arrangement 3 with a first component 4 and a second component 5. The two components 4, 5 are connected to one another by way of a plurality of nanowires 1. The nanowires 1 have a coating 2. The arrangement 3 was obtained by a method which comprises: [0065] A) providing a plurality of nanowires 1 with a coating 2 on the two components 4, 5, [0066] B) bringing the two components 4, 5 together, so that the two components 4, 5 are connected to one another by way of the nanowires 1.

[0067] In the embodiment shown, the coating 2 has been partially retained in step B) by nanowires 1 that are adjacent to one another being connected to one another by way of the coating 2. It is also evident however that the coating 2 between the nanowires 1 is broken open in places. That has been caused by the bringing together of the components 4, 5. At the places where it is broken open, the nanowires 1 are held against one another particularly well. It should be noted that the figures are only schematic. In particular, the coating 2 is shown disproportionally thick for purposes of illustration.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows a further arrangement 3 with a first component 4 and a second component 5. The two components 4, 5 are connected to one another by way of a plurality of nanowires 1. As a difference from FIG. 2, here the nanowires 1 do not have any coating 2, but are directly connected to one another. This can be obtained by the method described with reference to FIG. 2 also comprising the following step: [0069] C) removing the coating 2 of the nanowires 1 by heating.

[0070] By step C), the arrangement 3 shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained from the arrangement 3 shown in FIG. 2. The heating has the effect that the material of the nanowires diffuses in such a way that they are also connected to one another. This gives rise to the situation shown in FIG. 3, in which the nanowires 1 are shown simplified as a single layer of material. Nevertheless, the two components 4, 5 are to be considered as connected to one another by way of the plurality of nanowires 1.

[0071] A further arrangement 3 is shown in FIG. 4. This was obtained by a method which comprises: [0072] A) providing a plurality of nanowires 1 with a coating 2 on the first component 4, but not on the second component 5 [0073] B) bringing the two components 4, 5 together, so that the two components 4, 5 are connected to one another by way of the plurality of nanowires 1 [0074] C) removing the coating 2 of the nanowires 1 by heating.

[0075] The heating has the effect that the nanowires 1 are connected to one another as in the case of FIG. 3. In addition, the nanowires are however also connected to the surface of the second component 5. FIG. 4 can be obtained by a higher temperature being used in step C) than for FIG. 3. As a result, the nanowires 1 in FIG. 4 are closer together than in FIG. 3, which is illustrated by the denser structuring of the surface area indicating the nanowires 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0076] 1 Nanowire [0077] 2 Coating [0078] 3 Arrangement [0079] 4 First component [0080] 5 Second component