Synthesis of platinum dendrites and nanowires via directed electrochemical nanowire assembly

Directed electrochemical nanowire assembly is a promising high growth rate technique for synthesizing electrically connected nanowires and dendrites at desired locations. Here we demonstrate the directed growth and morphological control of edge-supported platinum nanostructures by applying an alternating electric field across a chloroplatinic acid solution. The dendrite structure is characterized with respect to the driving frequency, amplitude, offset, and salt concentration and is well-explained by classical models. Control over the tip diameter, side branch spacing, and amplitude is demonstrated, opening the door to novel device architectures for sensing and catalytic applications.