Abstract
A faculty-guided student research project involving the synthesis of hybrid nickel/silver nanowires using template-assisted electrodeposition is presented. Hybrid 1-D nanowires are formed from the reduction of nickel (II) and silver cations in the pores of an aluminum oxide template. Backscattered electron images obtained from scanning electron microscopy analysis allow assessment of the metal distribution pattern in the nanowires. Energy dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) provides a quantitative determination of nanowire composition when electrodeposition times for nickel and silver are varied. Additionally, this project includes an assessment of nanowire antimicrobial activity using the Agar disk diffusion test and bacterial absorbance.