Excellent mechanical properties of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous nickel photonic crystals

Research highlights: → Photonic crystals (PCs) are at the focus of the three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials. The existence of the photonic band gap in PCs makes them have the large applications in the optical communications, sensors, solar cells, etc. However, the 3DOM PCs cannot grow firmly on the substrate yet and usually strip away from the substrate, which restrict the applications of PCs. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance mechanical properties of 3DOM PCs and substrate. In this paper, we prepare high quality 3DOM nickel PCs using the template-assisted electrodeposition method on nickel alloy substrate and investigate the mechanical properties of 3DOM nickel PCs. The high quality 3DOM nickel PCs, growing on the nickel alloy substrate directly, show an excellent mechanical strength due to the similar bounds between nickel PCs and substrate, which may promote the practical applications of PCs. - Abstract: High quality three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) nickel photonic crystals (PCs) are fabricated using the polystyrene template-assisted electrodeposition method on nickel alloy substrate. The Ni2+ in solution will firstly arrive in the electrode (nickel alloy substrate) and occupy the interstices among the PS template spheres; when enlarge the deposition time to 5 min, 3DOM nickel PCs will be achieved. The 3DOM nickel PCs grow firmly on the substrate due to the similar bounds between the PCs and substrate. Excellent mechanical properties are observed in the 3DOM nickel PCs, which may promote the practical applications of PCs.