Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of foamed Ni3Pt alloys

This study focuses on the preparation of Ni3Pt nanoporous alloy foams through the annealing of a colloid composed of Ni(NO3)2, H2PtCl6, and starch under an argon gas atmosphere. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to analyze the chemical composition, structure, and crystallographic properties of the obtained products. The product exhibits a three-dimensional foam structure comprising open pores with an average pore size of 300 nm. Additionally, it possesses structural supports with a thickness of approximately 140 nm within the open-pore configuration. XRD analysis confirms that the obtained product exhibits a face-centered cubic phase, indi-cating that it is a Ni3Pt alloy. This result is further supported by reductions insurface atomic ratio and Pt binding energy observed in the XPS analysis. The resulting open-cell Ni3Pt alloy foam exhibits a homogeneous and well-defined three-dimensional structure, offering a high specific surface area. These characteristics reveal the excellent potential of the Ni3Pt alloy foam for application in battery and electrode materials.