Geometric relaxation of nanoporous metals: The role of surface relaxation

Atomic scale computer simulations are used to probe the dominant mechanisms for the geometric relaxation of bicontinuous nanoporous (np) metals. We utilize a method for creating digital samples amenable to atomic simulations that are quantitatively similar to those prepared experimentally. Simulated relaxations of these structures, as well as the relaxation of model spherical clusters, indicate that the surface relaxation effect dominates the overall dimensional relaxation of np-metals post processing. Capillary effects play a secondary role in the overall relaxation.