Microporous materials, methods of making, using, and articles thereof

1. A method for producing a pigmented composite, comprising

(a) contacting a microporous material with a tin compound to produce a first composite, and

(b) contacting the first composite with a pigment comprising an elemental metal, a metal oxide, a metal alloy, a metal salt, or a combination thereof to produce the pigmented composite.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises a ceramic, a metal, carbon, or glass.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises a metal oxide.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the metal oxide comprises aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, a zeolite, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises an inorganic electrochemically formed material or an etch material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises aluminum oxide that is electrochemically formed or etched.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises micropores having a diameter of from about 0.02 microns to about 0.2 microns.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises aluminum or titanium that has been anodized.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tin compound comprises an organotin compound or a tin salt.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tin compound comprises a compound that produces Sn +2 ions in solution.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tin compound comprises SnCl 2 .

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment comprises a metal salt.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the metal salt comprises a transition metal salt.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the transition metal salt comprises a palladium compound, a nickel compound, silver compound, gold compound, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tin compound is dissolved in an organic solvent to produce a tin solution.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tin solution further comprises water.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment is dissolved in an organic solvent to produce a pigment solution.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pigment solution further comprises water.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (b), the first composite is contacted with a first pigment followed by contacting the first composite with a second pigment.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first pigment comprises a palladium compound and the second pigment comprises a nickel compound.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microporous material comprises aluminum oxide, the tin compound comprises a tin salt, and the pigment comprises a first pigment and second pigment, wherein the first composite is contacted with a first pigment comprising a palladium compound followed by contacting the first composite with a second pigment comprising a nickel compound.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein after step (b), heating the second composite.

23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after step (b), applying a suspension matrix to the pigmented composite, wherein the suspension matrix is localized near the surface of the pigmented composite.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the suspension matrix comprises an oligonucleotide, a polysaccharide, a protein, an organic or inorganic polymer or macromolecule, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein when the suspension matrix comprises an oligonucleotide, wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a nucleic acid.

26. A pigmented composite produced by the method of claim 1 .

27. A pigmented composite comprising a microporous material, a tin compound, and at least one pigment, wherein the tin compound and pigment are incorporated in the microporous material.

28. An article comprising the pigmented composite of claim 26 .

29. An article comprising the pigmented composite of claim 27 .