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.