Synthesis and characterization of mesostructured alloys with controlled compositions

This article summarizes our recent studies on the synthesis of highly ordered mesostructured Ni and Ni-Co alloys by electroless deposition method. We propose that a careful control over the nucleation as well as the grain growth by reducing agents can lead to the formation of a highly ordered mesostructure from a lyotropic liquid crystalline phase (LLC). The sophisticated combination of dimethylamineborane (DMAB) and sodium borohydride (SBH) in an electroless plating bath produces highly ordered mesoporous Ni, and this technique can be extended to prepare a series of mesostructured Ni-Co alloys with various compositions. The composition of the alloys can be varied easily by controlling the metal compositions in the plating bath.