Abstract: Provided are methods, comprising applying a voltage to a first parent mixture comprising (a) a first material and (b) a second metal, the first material optionally comprising a metal having a standard reduction potential less than the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) at 0 V vs SHE, the applying being performed in the presence of a counter electrode that comprises the second metal, the first parent mixture and the counter electrode contacting an electrolyte, the applying being performed under such conditions that the second metal is selectively removed from the first parent mixture so as to leave behind a nanoporous portion of the first material, the nanoporous portion of the first material comprising interconnected ligaments defining pores therebetween, the pores being open to the environment exterior to the nanoporous portion of the first material, the pores being characterized as having an average cross-section in the range of from about 5 to about 100 nm, the applying optionally being performed in an iner

Abstract: Provided are nanoporous materials (including nanoporous metals) and related methods of fabricating the disclosed materials. The disclosed materials are useful in supporting chemical reactions, including the on-board production of hydrogen from water by way of contacting the water to the disclosed materials.

Abstract: Hydrolysis of water-reactive nanoporous nonprecious metals to produce hydrogen fuel on-demand for non-stationary applications is a promising method to overcome infrastructural limitations associated with current hydrogen storage and delivery systems. However, the pyrophoricity of highly reactive nanoporous nonprecious metals presents a safety and stability issue. Herein we demonstrate a method to stabilize pyrophoric nanoporous nonprecious metals by using a composite pellet structure consisting of a nanoporous nonprecious metal and a highly hygroscopic material that (i) can trap and absorb high quantities of water vapor to prevent heat buildup and subsequent pyrophoric ignition from exothermic oxidation from oxygen, and (ii) can also undergo hydrolysis to produce hydrogen, thus, making it possible to suppress the pyrophoricity without sacrificing the overall hydrogen generation yield of the composite.

Abstract: Provided are nanoporous materials (including nanoporous metals) and related methods of fabricating the disclosed materials. The disclosed materials are useful in supporting chemical reactions, including the on-board production of hydrogen from water by way of contacting the water to the disclosed materials.

Abstract: Selective alloy corrosion is used to synthesize a robust and ultrafine mesoporous NiFeMn-based metal/metal oxide oxygen evolving catalyst with ligament and pore sizes in the range of 10 nm and a BET surface area of 43 m2/g. As an oxygen evolving catalyst, the mesoporous catalyst exhibits high stability (>264 hours) at a high current density (500 mA/cm2) with a low overpotential (360 mV) using a moderate electrolyte concentration (1 M KOH). The catalyst is made from non-precious metals and its fabrication is straight forward and directly applicable to large-scale synthesis.

Abstract: Selective alloy corrosion is used to synthesize a robust and ultrafine mesoporous NiFeMn-based metal/metal oxide oxygen evolving catalyst with ligament and pore sizes in the range of 10 nm and a BET surface area of 43 m2/g. As an oxygen evolving catalyst, the mesoporous catalyst exhibits high stability (>264 hours) at a high current density (500 mA/cm2) with a low overpotential (360 mV) using a moderate electrolyte concentration (1 M KOH). The catalyst is made from non-precious metals and its fabrication is straight forward and directly applicable to large-scale synthesis.

Abstract: A nanoporous tin is disclose, along with a method of fabrication thereof, the tin having a hierarchical nanoporous and mesoporous ligament morphology that exhibits long-term cyclability, particularly when used as anode material in Li-ion. One embodiment of the present technology is a fabrication method to directly produce nanoporous tin in powder form, rather than a monolithic piece of nanoporous metal, so that the NP-Sn powder can be directly integrated into composite electrodes using commercial battery electrode processing techniques.

Abstract: A solid state hydrogen storage system and materials are provided. Hydrogen storage is provided by the formation of metal hydrides in a nanoporous metal framework. H2 can be effectively released from the hydride that is made directly during the synthesis processes at just 100° C. Dealloying using galvanic corrosion in a metal ion electrolyte and in a hydrogen containing atmosphere is used to create monolithic nanoporous metal frameworks and the simultaneous formation of metal hydrides within the porosity. The nanoporous frameworks have a tunable plasmon resonance and morphology. The system can reversibly store hydrogen in the nanoporous framework using hot electrons generated either by surface plasmons or by exothermic galvanic replacement reactions to form metal hydrides.

Abstract: A nanoporous tin is disclose, along with a method of fabrication thereof, the tin having a hierarchical nanoporous and mesoporous ligament morphology that exhibits long-term cyclability, particularly when used as anode material in Li-ion. One embodiment of the present technology is a fabrication method to directly produce nanoporous tin in powder form, rather than a monolithic piece of nanoporous metal, so that the NP-Sn powder can be directly integrated into composite electrodes using commercial battery electrode processing techniques.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for inducing a surface stress-induced volumetric change in a nanoporous material and to a device for carrying out the method. The method of the invention comprises—accumulating polar molecules onto the surface of the nanoporous material by physical adsorption of the polar molecules from the vapour phase thereby inducing surface stress to said surface; or—dissipating accumulated polar molecules from the surface of the nanoporous material by physical desorption of the polar molecules into the vapour phase thereby inducing surface stress to said surface, wherein the nanoporous material comprises a nanoporous metal or alloy. The device comprises a) a nanoporous metal material which, upon physical adsorption from the vapour phase or physical desorption into the vapour phase of polar molecules onto or from the surface of the nanoporous metal material, exhibits a volumetric change; and b) a mechanism for detecting and/or transferring the volumetric change.