Conformal Coating on Inverse Opaline Scaffolds for Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Thermal Stability

Abstract

The ordered arrangement of meso/macropores in the inverse opaline structure could be beneficial to enhance the performance for several applications, such as sensing, electrocatalysis and filtration. One of the critical concerns for its practical use could be regarded to the mechanical properties of this structured material. We had successfully demonstrated the fabrication of larger-area Nickel inverse opaline films through a facile electrochemical route. In this work, a pulse voltage electrophoretic deposition or CV electro-polymerization was subsequently applied to a metallic inverse opaline film as working electrode. Several experimental parameters, including the recipes for deposition bath and the pulse programs, were explored and studied. With optimized experimental parameters, a conformal coating of oxide or polymeric materials on the skeleton of inverse opals could be successfully achieved. Their mechanical properties were evaluated by nanoindentation and microtensile test. Other structural and compositional characterization were conducted by SEM, EDS, XRD, and XPS analysis.