Nanoscale antimony pH probe

Abstract

Antimony nanowire arrays have been fabricated by template assisted electro-deposition technique. Anodic aluminum oxide membranes with pore diameters around 60-90 nm are used to cast quasi-one dimensional Sb nanostructure. The as-grown Sb nanowires are characterized by electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Upon their remarkable linear response to hydrogen ion concentration, Sb nanowire arrays are utilized as nanoscale electrodes to determine solution pH value. They demonstrate promising potential for nanoscale solid state sensing device.