Pulse-reverse electrodeposition for mesoporous metal films: combination of hydrogen evolution assisted deposition and electrochemical dealloying

Abstract

Hydrogen evolution assisted electrodeposition is a new bottom-up technique allowing the fast and simple synthesis of nanometals. Electrochemical dealloying is a top-down approach with the same purpose. In this work, we show that a combination of these two methods in sequence by pulse-reverse electrodeposition can be used to prepare high-surface-area nanostructured metals. Highly porous adherent platinum is obtained by the deposition of CuPt alloy during the cathodic cycles and the selective dissolution of copper during the anodic cycles. The convection created by the movement of the hydrogen bubbles increases the deposition rate and removes the dissolved copper ions from the diffusion layer, which ensures the deposition of a film with the same stoichiometry throughout the whole process. Due to the relatively high ratio of copper atoms on the surface in the as-deposited layer, it is proposed that the dealloying kinetics is significantly higher than that usually observed during the dealloying process in a model system. The proposed approach has several advantages over other methods, such as a very high growth rate and needlessness of any post-treatment processes. A detailed analysis of the effect of pulse-reverse waveform parameters on the properties of the films is presented. Mesoporous platinum with pores and ligaments having characteristic sizes of less than 10 nm, an equivalent surface area of up to ca. 220 m² cm⁻³, and a roughness factor of more than 1000 is fabricated.