Porous metal oxide particles

Abstract

Preparing porous particles includes forming a gel including a first liquid and an oxygen-containing compound of a metal, semi-metal, metalloid, or semi-conductor, including an oxide, hydroxide, alkoxide, oxohydroxide, oxoalkoxide, oxo salt, or oxo salt hydrate of the metal, semi-metal, metalloid, or semi-conductor; contacting the gel with a combustible liquid to form a combustible gel; and initiating combustion of the combustible gel to form a substance including porous metal, semi-metal, metalloid, or semi-conductor oxide particles. The combustible liquid can include a volatile solvent. The porous particles have open pores with a range of nanoscale pore sizes. The porous particles may be treated further to form, for example, a composite.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.