Highly ordered mesostructured Ni particles prepared from lyotropic liquid crystals by electroless deposition: the effect of reducing agents on the ordering of mesostructure

Mesostructured Ni and Co particles are formed by metal deposition in the aqueous domains of lyotropic liquid crystals (LLC) using different reducing agents. We have investigated the role of reducing agents in metal deposition for the synthesis of highly-ordered mesoporous metals by electroless deposition. Slow metal deposition accompanied by the autocatalytic reaction of dimethylamineborane (DMAB), caused by the combination of Ni and DMAB, led to the formation of highly-ordered mesostructured Ni.