Interconnected mesoporous gold thin films with “near-zero” diffusion resistance for high-efficiency catalysis

Achieving a high active surface area and efficient diffusion of reactants and products within electrodes is essential for developing high-performance electrocatalysts. Mesoporous metallic architectures with conductive frameworks offer an ideal solution to this challenge. However, in many cases, unimodal pores hinder effective diffusion through the electrodes. The design of mesoporous metal films with tunable and hierarchical pore architectures presents a promising strategy. Here, we report a robust method for preparing mesoporous gold (Au) films featuring vertically oriented mesochannels integrated with a mesh structure in the framework via selective dealloying. This dual-channel interconnected architecture, featuring both vertical and horizontal channels, substantially enhances the electrochemically active surface area and offers highly efficient ion and molecule diffusion pathways. This results in near-zero diffusion resistance, ultimately enhancing catalytic performance. By addressing mass transport limitations, this innovative design marks a substantial advancement in mesoporous electrocatalysts, paving the way for improved performance in future electrocatalytic applications. • This work addresses mass transport limitations in mesoporous metal electrocatalysts. • Multidirectional porous Au films are fabricated by dealloying Cu from vertically aligned mesoporous AuCu. • The resulting structure exhibits 3D connectivity with lateral and vertical pathways. • Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirms near-zero diffusion resistance. • The films show enhanced catalytic performance for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR).