can also be patterned on a surface to have specific dimensions and orientations this is important because future commercialization of this technology will likely depend on the ability to control the size shape and orientation of the nanowires within a manufacturing context the above described processes of making metal nanowires provide numerous advantages over the existing prior art particularly for fabricating hydrogen sensors the number length diameter and orientation of nanowires in the device can all be controlled by lithography the electroplating deposition process can be more easily controlled because one knows exactly the length and number of wires and therefore can control the size of the nanowires more easily all the nanowires can be aligned in parallel if desired whereas the prior art does not have any control over this on a graphite surface much of the technology of the present invention is built on si which is easily cleaved sawed into individual devices rather than being on glass which is difficult to work with furthermore no glue cyanoacrylate is required in the processes of the present invention such glue has limited use over a temperature range and typically has a thermal coefficient of expansion which is may further limit its use over a range of temperatures in general the present invention also comprises any method that allows for the creation and controlled placement of pd and pd alloy e g pd ag nanowires for use as hydrogen sensors.