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

Abstract Uniform three-dimensional nanoporous copper (NPC) with open pores was synthesized by chemically dealloying Mg–Cu–Y metallic glasses in H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution. The NPC dealloyed from Mg 50 Cu 40 Y 10 glassy alloy exhibits high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area (12.27 m 2 /g), which is attributed to the formation of interconnective nanopores with size of 30–60 nm and accumulative nanoparticles with size of 3–8 nm 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.