Fabrication of a Pb-Sn nanowire array gas sensor using a novel high vacuum die casting technique

In this study, an anodic aluminum oxide nanomold was obtained by etching on an aluminum substrate at a purity of 99.7% with an oxalic acid electrolyte. After etching, a nanomold was prepared with pores that were measured at 80 nm in diameter. This nanomold was used as a base. Using the vacuum casting method, the Pb-Sn alloy was die-cast into the nanomold and consequently shaped into a Pb-Sn alloy nanowire of 80 nm in diameter and 50 μm in length. After solidification, a Pb-Sn nanowire array was obtained. The array of Pb-Sn nanowires prepared in this study can be applied to a gas sensor. Microstructural analysis of the AAO nanomold and the Pb-Sn nanowire array are performed by SEM and XRD.