Pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composites and methods of making the same

A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

• forming a carbonaceous gel using a sol-gel chemistry process;
• pyrolyzing the gel for producing a primarily macroporous carbon foam;
• thermally activating the carbon foam for creating micropores therein;
• contacting the activated carbon foam with a liquid solution comprising a metal salt for depositing metal ions in the carbon foam;
• and
• reducing the metal ions in the foam to metal particles.

A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

• contacting a carbon foam with a solution comprising a metal alkoxide or a solution comprising a metal salt and a proton scavenger, for forming an interpenetrating network of metal oxide gel in the carbon foam;
• drying the gel;
• and
• pyrolyzing for reducing the metal oxide network to a native metal thereof.

A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

• contacting a carbon foam with a solution comprising a metal alkoxide or a solution comprising a metal salt and a proton scavenger for forming an interpenetrating network of metal oxide gel in the carbon foam, the metal oxide comprising at least one of titanium and iron;
• drying the gel using supercritical extraction;
• and
• pyrolyzing for reducing the metal oxide network to a native metal thereof.