Transferable ordered Ni hollow sphere arrays induced by electrodeposition on colloidal monolayer

We report an electrochemical synthesis of two-dimensionally ordered porous Ni arrays based on polystyrene sphere (PS) colloidal monolayer. The morphology can be controlled from bowl-like to hollow sphere-like structure by changing deposition time under a constant current. Importantly, such ordered Ni arrays on a conducting substrate can be transferred integrally to any other desired substrates. especially onto an insulting substrate or curved surface. The magnetic measurements of the two-dimensional hollow sphere array show the coercivity values of 104 Oe for the applied field parallel to the film, and 87 Oe for the applied field perpendicular to the film, which is larger than those of bulk Ni and hollow Ni submicrometer-sized spheres. The formation of hollow sphere arrays is attributed to preferential nucleation on the interstitial sites between PS in the colloidal monolayer and substrate, and growth along PSs' surface. The transferability of the arrays originates from partial contact between the Ni hollow spheres and substrate. Such novel Ni ordered nanostructured arrays with transferability and high magnetic properties should be useful in applications such as data storage, catalysis, and magnetics.