| The controlled assembly of nanometer- to micron-scale particles could lead to materials suitable for applications for new electronic devices. This thesis lays the groundwork for the assembly of metallic particles 30–200 nm in diameter, and 0.05–10 micrometers in length. Additionally, capillary forces are examined as a means to align large wafers.; Metallic nanowires were synthesized using a template-based electrodeposition technique. Dissolution of this template released the nanowires into solution. By exchanging the solution during electrodeposition, multiple metals were linked in stripes along the length of the particle. The polydisperisty of the resulting particles was controlled by modifying the conditions during electrodepositon.; Self-assembled monolayer chemistry was used to modify the surface of nanowires and planar surfaces. Isonitriles were used to selectively derivatize platinum segments of nanowires, and thiols were used to derivatize gold segments. New isonitriles were synthesized to take advantage of this orthogonal self-assembly.; The interactions of nanowires with planar surfaces was explored by modifying the nanowires and surface with different functional groups. Electrostatic, covalent, and biochemical interactions were examined. Additionally, interactions at a liquid-liquid interface were investigated. Mechanical forces and electric fields were also used to manipulate the particles.; The alignment of planar surfaces using capillary forces generated at a water-air interface was also explored. Silica wafers patterned with a hydrophobic design of rectangular cells served as a versatile means of testing the alignment force as a function of various experimental factors. This alignment was tested by analyzing the displacement of the aligned wafers under the load of a gravitational force. |
