Increasing the surface area and electrical conductivity of electrode materials through three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures is essential to improving the performance of green energy resources. To this end, we have developed an innovative fabrication technique based on using Japanese “Washi” paper as a template for a slurry of metal powder and binder, which is then consolidated into a microporous sheet through sintering. Subsequent selective etching (dealloying) through immersion in acid solution creates additional nanopores, allowing either a bi-modal or tri-modal porous structure. This method is used to create a tri-modal nanoporous Au electrode, as a well as a hierarchical NiMn electrode that achieves high electrochemical capacitance and a rapid rate of oxygen evolution in water splitting. The proposed method is not only easily adapted to large scale production, but also has the potential to be used with a wide range of metals and alloys.
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Researcher Information
JST PRESTO
Research Area “New Materials Science and Element Strategy”
Research Theme “Ubiquitous element based innovative nanoporous metal composite and device”
Journal Information
T. Fujita, Y. Kanoko, Y. Ito, L. Y. Chen, A. Hirata, H. Kashani, O. Iwatsu, and M. W. Chen. “Nanoporous Metal Papers for Scalable Hierarchical Electrode”. Advanced Science, Published online 5 June 2015, doi: 10.1002/advs.201500086.
Contact
[About Research]
Takeshi Fujita, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University
Tel: +81-22-217-5990 FAX: +81-22-217-5955
E-mail:
URL: http://www.wpi-aimr.tohoku.ac.jp/en/research/researcher/fujita_t.html
[About Program]
Masashi Furukawa
Green Innovation Group, Department of Innovation Research, JST
E-mail: