Magnetic manipulation of copper-tin nanowires capped with nickel ends

CuSn alloy nanowires capped with Ni were prepared using sequential electrodeposition of nickel and a copper/tin bronze alloy into nanoporous alumina templates. The liberated nanowires were suspended in solvents and their behavior monitored using optical microscopy. The nanowires were oriented and spun in circles as "nano stirbars" using applied magnetic fields. These segmented nanowires were also trapped between magnetized Ni stripes, demonstrating that nonmagnetic metallic nanowires can be manipulated and positioned by capping them with magnetic ends.