NANORODS

NANORODS

In nanotechnology, nanorods are one morphology of nanoscale objects. Each of their dimensions range from 1–100 nm. They may be synthesized from metals or semiconducting materials. Standard aspect ratios (length divided by width) are 3-5. Nanorods are produced by direct chemical synthesis. A combination of ligands act as shape control agents and bond to different facets of the nanorod with different strengths. This allows different faces of the nanorod to grow at different rates, producing an elongated object.

The applications of nanorods are diverse, ranging from display technologies (the reflectivity of the rods can be changed by changing their orientation with an applied electric field) to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

Direct chemical synthesis and a combination of ligands are all that are required for production and shape control of the nanorods. Ligands also bond to different facets of the nanorod with varying strengths. This is how different faces of nanorods can be made to grow at different rates, thereby producing an elongated object of a certain desired shape.

Nanorods have wide application.

* Prominent among them is in the use in display technologies. By changing the orientation of the nanorods with respect to an applied electric field, the reflectivity of the rods can be altered, resulting in superior displays. Picture quality can be improved radically. Each picture element, known as pixel, is composed of a sharp-tipped device of the scale of a few nanometres. Such TVs, known as field emission TVs, are brighter as the pixels can glow better in every colour they take up as they pass through a small potential gap at high currents, emitting electrons at the same time.
* Nanorod-based flexible, thin-film computers can revolutionise the retail industry, enabling customers to checkout easily without the hassles of having to pay cash.


http://www.articleworld.org/index.php/Nanorod