Mechanical properties of three-dimensional ordered macroporous Ni foam

We employ a sequential electrophoresis and electrodeposition approach to fabricate a large-area ordered macroporous Ni foam in 5 × 5 cm2 via a template route. Images from scanning electron microscope exhibit hierarchical structures with hexagonally-arranged pores and interconnected pore channels. For as-prepared and annealed ordered macroporous Ni foams, the loading-depth profiles from nano indentation show typical elastic and plastic deformation. Upon annealing, moderate growth in grain size is observed, resulting in lower hardness and Young's modulus. In contrast, for disordered macroporous Ni foam and solid Ni film, nano indentation results reveal larger hardness and undetermined Young's modulus. The ordered macroporous foam reveals hardness that is 22% of that of solid Ni film, a value close to its theoretic packing density of 24%.