Morphology and electric potential-induced mechanical behavior of metallic porous nanostructures

Understanding mechanical behaviors influenced by electric potential and tribological contacts is important for verifying the robustness and reliability of applications based on metallic porous nanostructures in electrical stimulations. In this work, nickel-based metallic porous nanostructures were studied to characterize their mechanical properties and morphologically dependent contact areas during application of an electric potential using a nanoindenter. We observed that the indentation moduli of nickel-based metallic porous nanostructures were altered by pore size and application of electric potential. In addition, the structural aspects of the surface morphology of nickel-based porous nanostructures had a critical effect on the determination of contact area. We suggest that the relation between electric potential and the mechanical behaviors of metallic porous nanostructures can be crucial for building mechanically robust functional devices, which are influenced by electric potential. The morphological shape characteristics of metallic porous nanostructures can be alternative decisive factors for manipulation of tribological performance through regulation of contact area.