Self-assembly of gold nanowires along carbon nanotubes for ultrahigh-aspect-ratio hybrids

We report a novel approach for the assembly of one-dimensional hybrid nanostructures that consist of gold nanowires with ultrahigh aspect ratios (L/d > 500) self-assembled along the axes of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The micrometer-long hybrid nanowires exhibit high electrical conductivity and can be easily microcontact-printed onto various substrates in a patterned form, suggesting that these hybrids have considerable potential as interconnects for nanoelectronic applications.