Micro- and nano-porous metallic structures
OwnerKarl Sieradzki, Roger C. Newmaninventors
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Abstract
Micro- and nano-porous metal structures including an alloy of one or more noble metals and substantially uniform and interconnected porosity in pore sizes ranging from three nanometers to 10 micrometers produced by a process including the following steps: mixing at least two metals having different electrochemical activity, according to predetermined proportions to form a multi-metallic alloy; contacting said alloy with an electrolyte; and applying an electrochemical potential to said electrolyte wherein said alloy acts as the anode until all or a portion of the more electrochemically active metal is dissolved from the alloy leaving porous metal.
Claims36
A process for producing micro- and nano-porous metallic structures comprising the following step:
- mixing silver and gold according to predetermined proportions to form a binary alloy;
- contacting said alloy with an electrolyte;
- applying an electrochemical potential to said alloy wherein said alloy acts as an anode until all or a portion of the silver is dissolved from the alloy leaving porous metal;
- and
- placing said porous metal into a furnace at an elevated temperature for a predetermined period of time, to anneal said porous metal.
A porous metal structure comprising:
- a binary alloy substantially formed of gold with less than 1% silver, having substantially uniform and interconnected porosity, with pore sizes ranging from three nanometers to 10 micrometers.
A porous metal structure comprising:
- a binary alloy substantially formed of gold with less than 1% silver, having substantially uniform and interconnected porosity, said alloy being annealed and having pore sizes ranging from three nanometers to 10 micrometers.
A porous metal structure comprising:
- a binary alloy substantially formed of gold with less than 1% silver, having substantially uniform and interconnected porosity, the degree of porosity changing with depth in a step fashion from the surface of said structure and having pore sizes ranging from three nanometers to 10 micrometers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.