Three-dimensional nanoporous copper with high surface area by dealloying Mg–Cu–Y metallic glasses

Uniform three-dimensional nanoporous copper (NPC) with open pores was synthesized by chemically dealloying Mg–Cu–Y metallic glasses in H2SO4 aqueous solution. The NPC dealloyed from Mg50Cu40Y10 glassy alloy exhibits high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area (12.27m2/g), which is attributed to the formation of interconnective nanopores with size of 30–60nm and accumulative nanoparticles with size of 3–8nm on the surface of ligaments. The results reveal that the main forming mechanism of current NPC is fast dissolution of Mg and Y elements in the glassy alloys coupled with nucleation and growth of Cu clusters via the alloy/solution interface diffusion of Cu atoms. The NPC with large specific surface area and proper thermal conductivity is expected to be low-temperature heat exchanger materials.