Dealloying of Au–Ag thin films with a composition gradient: Influence on morphology of nanoporous Au

Abstract Nanoporous Au can be formed by dealloying Au–Ag alloys and, depending on the initial alloy composition, produce a variety of microstructural features. We investigated a wide compositional range and found three regimes, based on initial Au content, that yield varying degrees of dealloying in thin films. Between 22 and 26 at.% Au, dealloying produces nearly pure Au with an open nanoporous structure. However, above 36 at.% Au, only the grain boundaries dealloy, leaving islands of retained Au–Ag alloy. For intermediate compositions, a transitional microstructure results, with final Ag concentration ranging from 50 at.% down to 4 at.%. Film cracking was observed after dealloying, and lower initial Au content correlated with a higher degree of cracking and a higher pore fraction.