Porous metallic nickel has been synthesized using SiO2 opal as template. The template was prepared by self-assembled sedimentation of monodispersed SiO2 spheres. The metallic nickel precursor was impregnated into the void of the SiO2 opal template. The precursor transferred to metallic nickel after calcination in the nitro- gen atmosphere. Then, the SiO2 opal template was removed and three-dimensional porous metallic nickel with a meso-/macroporous structure was obtained. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, FESEM and nitrogen adsorption-desorption methods.
