Electrodeposition of Mesoporous Nickel Film using Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Template

In recent years, mesoporous materials owing to their high surface area, high surface to volume ratio and porosity are of interest in fuel cells and catalaysis. In this research, mesoporous Ni films were electrodeposited galvanostatically through lyotropic liquid crystal template of cetyltrimethylammoniumbromid (CTAB) cationic surfactant, Ni sulfate hexahydrate and boric acid solution. Mesoporous Ni films characterized using low angle X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical methods. Low angle X-ray diffraction pattern of mesoporous Ni film electrodeposited from LLC phase containing 30 Wt% of surfactant at 2 mAcm-2 showed d-spacing and pore to pore distance respectively 83.16 and 96.13 Å. This film had the highest surface area among other current densities and surfactant concentrations.