Mesopores in nonstoichiometric oxides via oxyexsolution and Kirkendall effects

Mesopores in nickel–cobalt oxide were synthesized through oxyexsolution at relatively low temperature for a controlled Kirkendall effect. A rapid net vacancy flux and a tensile misfit stress perpendicular to the protoxide/spinel interface caused the formation of elongated and aligned {1 0 0}-faceted mesopores in the spinel precipitates with a relatively low equilibrium vacancy concentration. Aligned mesopores in diffusion zone of nonstoichiometric metal oxides have potential applications on thermal barrier bond coating and mass-transport limited heterogeneous catalysis.