Abstract: An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a RuO2 coating. A method of: immersing a nonconductive article in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent in the presence of the article; and warming the article and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of a RuO2 coating on a portion of the article. An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a coating. The coating is made by electroless deposition, sputtering, atomic-layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method of: dissolving salts of a first metal ion and a second metal ion in water to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature of about 80-90° C.; and adding a base to the solution to precipitate nanoparticles of an oxide of the first metal ion and the second metal ion.

Abstract: A composition comprising: a metal oxide of a first metal ions and second metal ions; an electrically conductive material; and a binder material. The second metal ions have a higher oxidation state than the first metal ions. The presence of the second metal ion increases the number of metal cation vacancies. A method of: dissolving salts of a first metal ion and a second metal ion in water to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature of about 80-90° C.; and adding a base to the solution to precipitate nanoparticles of a metal oxide of the first metal ion and the second metal ion.

Abstract: A photoelectrode is disclosed having a conductive lead and a titania aerogel in electrical contact with the lead. The aerogel is coated with a photosensitive dye. The photoelectrode may be made by forming a film of a titania aerogel paste on a conductive substrate and coating the film with a dye.

Abstract: An article having a continuous network of zinc and a continuous network of void space interpenetrating the zinc network. The zinc network is a fused, monolithic structure. A method of: providing an emulsion having a zinc powder and a liquid phase; drying the emulsion to form a sponge; sintering the sponge to form a sintered sponge; heating the sintered sponge in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an oxidized sponge having zinc oxide on the surface of the oxidized sponge; and electrochemically reducing the zinc oxide to form a zinc metal sponge.

Abstract: A carbon nanofoam composite (such as carbon nanofoam paper) includes a carbon foam of interconnected pores of ˜10-2000 nm in size with nanometric carbon walls having a thickness on the order of 20 nm. In embodiments, the carbon nanofoam composite has electronic conductivity of greater than 20 S/cm and optionally at least ˜100 S/cm.

Abstract: A method of making a carbon nanopipe and ensemble of carbon nanopipes, comprising the steps of flowing a carbon precursor over silica fibers and thereby depositing a durable graphitizable carbon coating of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm onto the silica fibers and etching away the silica fibers to yield a three-dimensional mat of electronically networked, hollow carbon tubules. A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers.

Abstract: A composition comprising: a metal oxide of a first metal ions and second metal ions; an electrically conductive material; and a binder material. The second metal ions have a higher oxidation state than the first metal ions. The presence of the second metal ion increases the number of metal cation vacancies. A method of: dissolving salts of a first metal ion and a second metal ion in water to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature of about 80-90° C.; and adding a base to the solution to precipitate nanoparticles of a metal oxide of the first metal ion and the second metal ion.

Abstract: An article having a titanium, titanium carbide, titanium nitride, tantalum, aluminum, silicon, or stainless steel substrate, a RuO2 coating on a portion of the substrate; and a plurality of platinum nanoparticles on the RuO2 coating. The RuO2 coating contains nanoparticles of RuO2. A method of: immersing the substrate in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent in the presence of the article; warming the article and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of a RuO2 coating on a portion of the article; and electrodepositing platinum nanoparticles on the RuO2 coating.

Abstract: A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers. The atmosphere of the step of depositing is controlled by a two-stage gas manifold wherein stage 1 purges the reaction chamber with pure argon and stage 2 introduces the carbon precursor.

Abstract: A composition comprising: a metal oxide of a first metal ions and second metal ions; an electrically conductive material; and a binder material. The second metal ions have a higher oxidation state than the first metal ions. The presence of the second metal ion increases the number of metal cation vacancies. A method of: dissolving salts of a first metal ion and a second metal ion in water to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature of about 80-90° C.; and adding a base to the solution to precipitate nanoparticles of a metal oxide of the first metal ion and the second metal ion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an article having: a porous thermally insulating material, an electrically conductive coating on the thermally insulating material, and a thermoelectric coating on the electrically conductive coating. Also disclosed is a method of forming an article by: providing a porous thermally insulating material, coating an electrically conductive coating on the thermally insulating material, and coating a thermoelectric coating on the electrically conductive coating. The articles may be useful in thermoelectric devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a metal-air battery having a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode has a cathode current collector and a composite of a porous carbon structure and a pseudocapacitive coating. The coating does not completely fill or obstruct a majority of the pores, and the pores can be exposed to a gas. The electrolyte is in contact with the anode and permeates the composite without completely filling or obstructing a majority of the pores.

Abstract: A three-dimensional electrode structure for use in a battery comprising a porous three-dimensional substrate formed from a first electrically conductive material, an ion-conducting dielectric material disposed on the porous three dimensional substrate, and a second electrically conductive material disposed on the ion-conducting dielectric material, wherein the ion-conducting dielectric material separates the first electrically conductive material from the second electrically conductive material.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article having: a substrate and a RuO2 coating having nanoparticles of RuO2. Also disclosed herein is an article having: a substrate and a RuO2 coating. The coating is made by: immersing the substrate in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 and warming the substrate and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of the coating.

Abstract: A composition comprising: a metal oxide of a first metal ions and second metal ions; an electrically conductive material; and a binder material. The second metal ions have a higher oxidation state than the first metal ions. The presence of the second metal ion increases the number of metal cation vacancies. A method of: dissolving salts of a first metal ion and a second metal ion in water to form a solution; heating the solution to a temperature of about 80-90° C.; and adding a base to the solution to precipitate nanoparticles of a metal oxide of the first metal ion and the second metal ion.

Abstract: A three-dimensional battery architecture device comprising a porous substrate that has an aperiodic or random sponge network that forms the scaffolding of the first electrode (either cathode or anode) of a battery, a first coating deposited on the porous substrate, wherein the first coating is an electron insulating, ion-conducting dielectric material, and a second coating deposited in the remaining free volume, wherein the second coating is a an interpenetrating electrically conductive material that forms the second electrode (respectively anode or cathode) of the battery.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to fabricate carbon foams comprising a bicontinuous network of disordered or irregular macropores that are three-dimensionally interconnected via nanoscopic carbon walls. The method accounts for (1) the importance of wetting (i.e., matching the surface energies of fiber to sol) and (2) the viscosity of the microheterogeneous fluid filling the voids in the carbon paper. Carbon fiber papers are mildly oxidized by plasma etching, which greatly enhances the uniform uptake of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) mixtures.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite involving the steps of providing a porous carbon electrode structure having a surface and pores wherein the pores have an average diameter that ranges from about 2 nm to about 1 ?m, depositing a coating comprising FeOx via self-limiting electroless deposition without completely filling or obstructing a majority of the pores, wherein the coating comprising FeOx covers most to all of the interior and exterior surfaces of the prefabricated porous carbon electrode structure and can be deposited in a homogenous form and wherein it can be used directly as an electrode without requiring additional conductive additives or binders to be processed into a device-suitable electrode.

Abstract: A method for controlling pore size of a membrane that includes providing a porous magnetic architecture and magnetizing the porous magnetic architecture. The porous magnetic architecture changes pore size when magnetized. A method for inhibiting the mobility of a solute through a membrane includes magnetizing a porous magnetic architecture in a flow stream that includes a solute. A membrane system for a solute includes a porous magnetic architecture disposed within a flow stream that also includes a solute, and a magnetic source disposed such that the nonuniform porous magnetic architecture is selectively magnetized.