Fabrication of metal or alloy articles having microstructed and/or nanostructured features

Abstract

New and more cost-efficient methods and compositions are needed for the fabrication of three-dimensional nanostructures and/or microstructures from metals and alloys, including noble metals. In one aspect, a method of fabricating an article comprises selectively depositing a layer of copper oxide on a substrate and electrodepositing a noble metal layer onto the copper oxide layer from a solution comprising a salt of the noble metal and an electrolyte component comprising citrate, sulfite, or mixtures thereof. In being deposited onto the copper oxide layer, the noble metal layer is also selectively deposited relative to the substrate.

1 . A method of fabricating an article comprising:
 selectively depositing a layer of copper oxide on a substrate; and   electrodepositing a noble metal layer onto the copper oxide layer from a solution comprising a salt of the noble metal and an electrolyte component comprising citrate, sulfite, or mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively deposited layer of copper oxide is patterned on the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer of copper oxide is electrodeposited. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the layer of copper oxide is irradiated in selected areas. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising dissolving non-irradiated areas of the copper oxide layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein noble metal is selected from Groups 8-11 of the Periodic Table. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article has structural features on the micron and/or nanometer scale. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer of copper oxide is electrodeposited from solubilized copper salt. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solubilized copper salt is separate from the solution comprising the noble metal salt and the electrolyte component. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper oxide layer is not consumed is the electrodeposition of the noble metal layer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising coupling the article to a secondary substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising releasing the article from the substrate via dissolution of the copper oxide layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the layer of copper oxide is patterned according to digital design data of the article. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is employed in heterogeneous catalysis. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a circuit or circuit component. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the circuit is an integrated circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is an optical component.