Synthesis, microstructure, and physical properties of metallic barcode nanowires

With rapid progress in nanotechnology, nanostructured materials have come closer to our life. Single-component nanowires are actively investigated because of their novel properties, attributed to their nanoscale dimensions and adjustable aspect ratio, but their technical limitations cannot be resolved easily. Heterostructured nanomaterials gained attention as alternatives because they can improve the existing single-component structure or add new functions to it. Among them, barcode nanowires (BNWs), comprising at least two different functional segments, can perform multiple functions for use in biomedical sensors, information encoding and security, and catalysts. BNW applications require reliable response to the external field. Hence, researchers have been attempting to improve the reliability of synthesis and regulate the properties precisely. This article highlights the recent progress and prospects for the synthesis, properties, and applications of metallic BNWs with focus on the dependence of the magnetic, optical, and mechanical properties on material, composition, shape, and microstructure.