Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Nanocrystalline electrodeposition can be used to reinforce conventional metallic micro-truss materials and conventional metal foams, creating new types of metal/metal cellular hybrids in which the mechanical performance is controlled by an interconnected network of nanocrystalline tubes. This approach takes advantage of the large strength increase that can be obtained by grain size reduction to the nm-scale and the fact that the electrodeposited material is optimally positioned away from the neutral bending axis of the composite cellular struts or ligaments. This article presents an overview of the potential for structural reinforcement of bending-dominated and stretching-dominated cellular architectures by nanocrystalline electrodeposition.