A method of forming a porous nickel coating is provided. The method includes the steps of: depositing a coating onto a substrate by melting and atomizing two consumable electrode wires of a selected composition in a wire-arc spray device, so as to form a molten, atomized material, and directing the material to the substrate to form a coating deposit; the selected composition including nickel and a sacrificial metal; and then dissolving at least a portion of the sacrificial metal from the coating deposit by applying a positive potential in an alkaline electrolyte, so as to obtain a porous nickel coating. An electrolytic cell that includes a porous nickel coating is also described.