General synthesis of sponge-like ultrafine nanoporous metals by dealloying in citric acid

A general method is proposed to synthesize ultrafine nanoporous Cu, Ag, and Ni with novel sponge-like morphologies, high porosities, and large surface areas. The materials are produced by dealloying Mg65M25Y10 (M = Cu, Ag, and Ni) metallic glasses in citric acid. Citric acid played a key role due to its capping effect, which reduced the surface diffusion of metals. A structural model consistent with the sponge-like morphology was constructed to calculate the porosity and the surface area. The mechanism of the dealloying process in citric acid, involving ligament formation and coarsening, was illustrated. The mechanism was capable of explaining the experimental trends of dealloying, especially the morphology. A glucose sensor, which can be further developed into a high-precision real-time glucose monitor for medical use, was constructed using sponge-like nanoporous copper. Our findings are not only relevant to understanding the dealloying mechanism of metallic glasses, but also provide promising materials for multiple applications.