Method of forming nanoporous membranes
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsJonah Erlebacher, Yi Ding
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to nanoporous metal membranes and methods of making nanoporous metal membranes from metal leaf. At least a portion of the metal leaf is freely supported by a de-alloying medium for a time effective to de-alloy the metal leaf. After the porous membrane is formed, the membrane may be re-adhered to a substrate and removed from the de-alloying medium. The de-alloying process may be thermally and electrically influenced.
Claims67
A method for forming a nanoporous metal membrane, which comprises:
- providing metal leaf comprising first and second metals supported on a substrate;
- and
- de-alloying said metal leaf by contacting at least a portion of said metal leaf with a de-alloying medium for a time effective to form a nanoporous metal membrane, wherein said at least a portion of said metal leaf is freely supported by said de-alloying medium and said nanoporous metal membrane comprises pores having a pore size of a few nanometers to about 50 nm.
A method for forming a nanoporous metal membrane, comprising:
- adhering metal leaf comprising first and second metals onto the surface of a substrate;
- contacting said metal leaf and said substrate with a de-alloying medium such that at least a portion of said metal leaf is de-adhered from said substrate and said de-adhered portion is freely supported on said de-alloying medium;
- and
- allowing said de-adhered portion of said metal leaf to contact said de-alloying medium for a time effective to de-alloy said metal leaf, thereby forming a nanoporous metal membrane, wherein said nanoporous metal membrane comprises pores having a pore size of a few nanometers to about 50 nm.
A method of forming a nanoporous metal membrane, comprising:
- adhering metal leaf comprising first and second metals to a substrate;
- de-adhering a portion of said metal leaf from said substrate;
- and
- de-alloying said portion of said metal leaf by contacting said de-adhered portion of said metal leaf with a de-alloying medium for a time effective to de-alloy said metal leaf, thereby forming a nanoporous metal membrane, wherein said nanoporous metal membrane comprises pores having a pore size of a few nanometers to about 50 nm.
A nanoporous metal membrane comprising a metal, wherein said nanoporous metal membrane has a thickness of about 50 nm to about 500 nm, a surface area of at least about 10 m2/g and comprises pores having a pore size of a few nanometers to about 50 nm.
A nanoporous metal membrane comprising a metal, wherein said nanoporous metal membrane comprises pores having a pore size of a few nanometers to about 50 nm and ligaments of about 2 nm to about 25 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.