US Patent 7228050 - Inorganic nanowires with orienting matrix

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7228050.html

While high aspect ratio nanostructures (aka nanowires) can have favorable properties individually, when combined in a binding matrix these properties can be lost due to the disordered distribution of the nanowires or lack of cohesiveness between the nanowires. This patent from Nanosys teaches using a polymer or small molecule matrix to facilitate alignment of inorganic nanowires with a core/shell structure. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composite material, comprising: a plurality of discrete, preformed inorganic nanowires, wherein the inorganic nanowires comprise a core and one or more shell layers disposed about the core; and a small molecule or molecular matrix or a matrix comprising at least one polymer, which small molecule or molecular matrix or components thereof or which matrix comprising at least one polymer or components thereof are used to orient the nanowires.