Carbon nanofibers in a gradient-porous silicon structure.

Silicon membranes with through pores have been manufactured based on silicon plates with a gradient-porous structure, in which the pore cross section and structure varies with depth. In order to increase the specific surface of membranes, a layer of carbon nanofibers and nanotubes has been formed on the surface of macropores in silicon. The obtained structure can serve as a basis for the development of electrodes for solid polymer fuel cells with a specific area of conducting surface (with respect to carbon) of no less than 100 m²/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]