# US 12,224,466 B2 · Bulk nanoporous materials for on-site and on-board generation of hydrogen and other products

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- Number: US 12,224,466 B2
- Document ID: US12224466B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/978,927
- Filed: 2019-03-19
- Published: 2021-02-18
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-19
- Assignees: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
- Applicants: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
- Inventors: Eric Detsi; John S. Corsi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224466B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/0656: by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence)
- C25B 1/01: Products
- C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water
- C25B 11/031: Porous electrodes
- C25B 11/046: Alloys
- C25B 11/057: consisting of a single element or compound
- C25B 15/081: {Supplying products to non-electrochemical reactors that are combined with the electrochemical cell, e.g. Sabatier reactor}
- C25C 1/02: of light metals
- H01M 4/8605: {Porous electrodes}
- H01M 8/0606: with means for production of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- H01M 8/1018: Polymeric electrolyte materials
- H01M 2250/10: Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 20/129: Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- C25C: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition, comprising:
a hierarchical nanoporous material,
the hierarchical nanoporous material comprising macroligaments comprising a metal, the macroligaments comprising interconnected mesoligaments defining nanopores therebetween, the nanopores being open to the environment exterior to the nanoporous material,
the macroligaments having an average feature size of from about 0.5 μm to about 1 μm,
the mesoligaments having an average cross-section in the range of from about 10 nm to about 20 nm
the nanoporous material optionally comprising a metal having a standard reduction potential less than the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) at 0 V vs SHE,
the nanopores being characterized as having an average cross-section in the range of from about 3 to about 100 nm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanopores are characterized as having an average cross-section in the range of from about 10 to about 30 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition consists essentially of aluminum.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanoporous material is in contact with water.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical nanoporous material is free of the oxide form of the metal.