High Surface Area Metal And Metal Oxide Materials and Methods of Making the Same

1 . A method for making a composition comprising a metal oxide, the method comprising

forming a mixture comprising a metal precursor and an organic acid, wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of:

a) acids comprising a single carboxylic group and at least one additional functional group selected from the group consisting of carbonyl and hydroxyl;

b) acids comprising two carboxylic groups and a carbonyl group;

c) acids selected from the group consisting of ketoglutaric acid, glyoxylic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, oxalacetic acid, diglycolic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid and combinations thereof, and

d) acids selected from the group consisting of α-hydroxo monoacids, α-carbonyl monoacids, α-keto acids, keto diacids and combinations thereof, and

heating the mixture at a temperature of between about 250° C. and 500° C. for at least 1 hour to form a metal oxide.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the mixture further comprising water.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the mixture having an essential absence of an alcohol, a polyalcohol and/or citric acid.

4 . The method of claim 1 , the mixture further comprising an organic solvent different from the organic acid.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-pentanedionate, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, formic acid, acetic acid and combinations thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising evaporating a portion of the mixture for a period of time sufficient for the mixture to form a gel prior to heating.

7 . The method claim 1 , further comprising heating the mixture at a temperature less than 250° C. for a period of time sufficient for the mixture to form a gel prior to heating at the temperature of at least 250° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor is selected from the group consisting of metal acetate, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal nitrate, metal 2,4-pentanedionate, metal formate, metal chloride, the metal in the metallic state, metal oxide, metal acac, metal carboxylate and combinations thereof.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal precursor is at least partially soluble in water or the organic acid or an organic solvent.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal precursor is not soluble in water.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least partially reducing the metal oxide to a metal.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the reduction step comprises either (i) flowing hydrogen or ammonia gas over the metal oxide for a period of time sufficient to reduce the metal oxide to the metal or (ii) combining the metal oxide with hydrazine or formic acid for a period of time sufficient to reduce the metal oxide to the metal.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of oxides of transition metals, main group metals, metalloids, rare earth metals and combinations thereof.

14 . The method of claim 1 , the mixture further comprising a hydrophobic solvent.

15 . A method for making a composition comprising a metal oxide, the method comprising:

a) forming a mixture comprising a metal precursor and an organic acid,

b) reacting the metal precursor and the organic acid to form a metal-conjugated polymer in the mixture, and

c) heating the mixture at a temperature of at least 250° C. for at least 1 hour to form a metal oxide.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the metal precursor and the organic acid are reacted to form a polymer comprising metal carboxylates.

17 . A method of making a solid metal oxide composition, the method comprising:

mixing a metal precursor with a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, ketoglutaric acid, glyoxylic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, oxalacetic acid, diglycolic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid aqueous versions of said acids and combinations thereof to form a solution, slurry or suspension; and

calcining the solution at a temperature of between about 250-500° C. for at least 1 hour.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal precursor is a metal acetate, a metal hydroxide or a metal carbonate.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal precursor is not substantially soluble in the liquid.

20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising mixing the metal precursor with an organic solvent, the organic solvent being different from the liquid.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-pentanedionate, ethylene glycol, formic acid, acetic acid and combinations thereof.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of water, ketoglutaric acid, glyoxylic acid and combinations thereof.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the mixture is at least two phases and further comprising removing the top phase prior to calcination.

24 . A method of making a solid metal oxide composition, the method comprising:

providing a metal carboxylate; and

calcining the metal carboxylate at a temperature of at least 250° C.

25 . A method for making a metal carboxylate composition, comprising mixing a metal precursor with a carboxylic acid, the metal precursor selected from the group consisting of cobalt hydroxide, nickel hydroxide, yttrium hydroxide, yttrium acetate, ruthenium hydroxide, ruthenium nitrosylhydroxide, cerium hydroxide, ammonium metavanadate, a vanadium oxide, molybdic acid, ammonium paramolybdate, niobium hydroxide, and niobium alkoxide, the carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of ketoglutaric acid, glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid, and oxalacetic acid.