Nanoporous Ni: electrodeposition synthesis, morphology, and magnetic property

Abstract

Free-standing nanoporous Ni were successfully synthesized by electrodepositing Ni through the melamine–formaldehyde (MF) aerogels template which was subsequently removed during thermal decomposition process. The MF/Ni composites and the nanoporous Ni samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption and vibration sample magnetometer. It was found that electrodepositing was successfully applied in growing Ni through the MF aerogels network structure. Burning out of the MF aerogels produced a free-standing nanoporous Ni with a relative high surface area (53.8 m2/g). In addition, the nanoporous Ni samples presented nearly superparamagnetic characteristics.