  The combined processes of anodization and electrodeposition lead to highly
ordered arrays of cylindrical nanowires. This template-based self-assembly
fabrication method yields nanowires embedded in alumina. Commonly, chemical
etching is used to remove the alumina and free the nanowires. However, it has
been experimentally observed during the etching process that the nanowires tend
to form clumps. In this work, the nanowires are modeled as elastic rods subject
to surface interaction forces. The dynamics of the model give rise to the
aforementioned clumping behavior which is studied via percolation theory. This
work finds that percolation takes place with probability $P \sim (t-t_c)^x$,
where the exponent $x = 2.8$ and $t_c$ is the time at which percolation takes
place. The critical exponents which entirely determine the system are found to
be for (dimension) $d = 2$, $\beta = 2.1, \gamma = 0.57, \Delta = 2.7, \alpha =
-2.8, \nu = 2.4,$ and $\delta = 1.3$.
