Fabrication and characterization of highly ordered Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanowire/tube arrays by sol-gel template method

Highly ordered nanowire/tube arrays of Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ were fabricated by the sol-gel method in the pores of anodic alumina membrane (AAM). Whether nanowires or nanotubes were fabricated depends on immersion time. The immersion time was 15-40 s for nanotubes and over 60 s for nanowires. The topography and crystalline structure of the nanowire arrays were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that the length and diameter of the Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanowires are related to the thickness of the AAM and the diameter of the pores. The results indicated that the Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanowires are uniform and parallel to each other.