Through an electrostatics-induced adsorption effect, nickel ions were found to be preferentially adsorbed onto the surface of colloidal particles at template top during the template-mediated electrodeposition process for preparing macroporous structures. This phenomenon results in the preferential reduction and growth of nickel on colloid surface on the template top, instead of filling into the channels among the colloids. After removing the template, an egg-shell-roofed macroporous nickel, consisting of macroporous film covered with monolayer of hollow spheres, can be created. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.