Investigating the Potential of Electroless Nickel Plating for Fabricating Ultra-Porous Metal-Based Lattice Structures Using PolyHIPE Templates

Abstract

The use of polymerized high internal phase emulsions (polyHIPEs) as templates for electroless nickel plating is a promising method for producing ultra-porous metallic lattice structures with consistent wall thickness. These structures have desirable properties such as low density, high specific strength, resilience, and absorbency, making them suitable for various applications including battery electrodes, catalyst supports, and acoustic or vibration damping. This study aimed to optimize and investigate the electroless nickel plating process on polyHIPEs. Initially, a surfactant (Hypermer)-stabilized water-in-oil emulsion based on 2-ethylhexyl-acrylate and isobornyl-acrylate was used as a 3D printing resin to create polyHIPE structures. Then, the electroless nickel plating process was optimized using polyHIPE discs. The study also examined the effects of air, argon, and reducing atmospheres during the heating process to remove the polyHIPE template using metallized 3D-printed polyHIPE lattice structures. The findings indicated that different atmospheres led to the formation of distinct compounds. While nickel-coated polyHIPEs were fully oxidized in an air atmosphere, nickel phosphide (Ni 3 P) structures occurred in argon and reducing atmospheres along Ni metal. Moreover, in argon and reducing atmospheres, the porous structure of the polyHIPEs was retained as the internal structure was completely carbonized. Overall, the study demonstrated that intricate polyHIPE structures can be used as templates to create ultra-porous metal-based lattices for a wide range of applications.

Surfactant-free gelatin-stabilised biodegradable polymerised high internal phase emulsions with macroporous structures

“…Finally, post-processing steps can be performed on polyHIPEs to increase their mechanical properties. For example, electroless nickel plating has been used to coat the surface of polyHIPEs, conferring a >4-fold increase in stiffness ( Sengokmen-Ozsoz et al, 2023 ). However, this leads to reduced surface porosity and increases the complexity of fabrication with additional processing steps.…”

Design of metalized polyether-ether-ether-ketone based on semi-additive manufacture for 5G applications: from bottom-up assembly to selective electroplating

“…Electroless nickel plating was a widely utilized technique for depositing a metal layer onto a substrate without an external electrical power source, which was cost-effective and simple. 36 After GPTMS grafting and the Pd activation process, nickel ions were reduced by sodium hypophosphite around Pd active species to form a nickel layer. For better adopting the actual service environments, a strong adhesive strength was pivotal between the metal layer and the PEEK substrate.…”