Fabrication of magnetic mesostructured nickel-cobalt alloys from lyotropic liquid crystalline media by electroless deposition

Mesostructured binary Ni-Co alloys with various compositions are prepared for the first time by the electroless deposition of metal salts (nickel and cobalt) dissolved in aqueous domains of the lyotropic liquid crystalline phases of a non-ionic surfactant (Brij 56) at high concentrations. Mesostructured alloys with various Ni/Co ratios are easily obtained by changing the composition of the baths, leading to the control of saturation magnetization. The composition of the alloys affects the ordering of the mesostructure; higher Co content lowers the ordering.