Pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composites and methods of making the same

1. A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

thermally activating a carbon foam for creating micropores therein;

contacting the activated carbon foam with a liquid solution comprising a metal salt for depositing metal ions in the carbon foam; and

reducing the metal ions in the foam to metal particles, thereby forming a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m 2 /g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming the carbon foam using a sol-gel chemistry process.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the sol-gel chemistry includes an acid-catalyzed polymerization of precursors.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising drying a gel formed using the sol-gel chemistry process, wherein the gel is dried under ambient conditions.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising pyrolyzing a gel formed using the sol-gel chemistry process for producing the carbon foam, the carbon foam being primarily macroporous.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the activating is performed by contacting the carbon foam with a heated gas.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the heated gas is selected from a group consisting of carbon dioxide and steam.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein an internal surface area of the foam after the activating and before the contacting is greater than about 2000 m 2 /gram.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising drying the activated carbon foam after the contacting and before the reducing.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reducing includes contacting the metal ions with a gaseous reductant.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising storing the carbon foam with metal particles therein in an inert atmosphere.

12. A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

forming a carbonaceous gel using a sol-gel chemistry process;

pyrolyzing the gel for producing a primarily macroporous carbon foam;

thermally activating the carbon foam for creating micropores therein;

contacting the activated carbon foam with a liquid solution comprising a metal salt for depositing metal ions in the carbon foam; and

reducing the metal ions in the foam to metal particles, thereby forming a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m 2 /g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the sol-gel chemistry process includes an acid-catalyzed polymerization of precursors.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the activating is performed by contacting the carbon foam with a heated gas.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the heated gas is selected from a group consisting of carbon dioxide and steam.

16. A Method as recited in claim 12 , wherein an internal surface area of the foam after the activating and before the contacting is greater than about 2000 m 2 /gram.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the reducing includes contacting the metal ions with a gaseous reductant.

18. A method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising storing the carbon foam with metal particles therein in an inert atmosphere.

19. A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

contacting a carbon foam with a solution comprising a metal alkoxide or a solution comprising a metal salt and a proton scavenger, for forming an interpenetrating network of metal oxide gel in the carbon foam;

drying the gel; and

pyrolyzing for reducing the metal oxide network to a native metal thereof, thereby forming a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m 2 /g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising forming the carbon foam using a sol-gel chemistry process.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein the sol-gel chemistry includes an acid-catalyzed polymerization of precursors.

22. A method as recited in claim 20 , further comprising pyrolyzing a gel formed using the sol-gel chemistry process for producing the carbon foam.

23. A method as recited in claim 19 , wherein drying the gel includes supercritical extraction.

24. A method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising storing the carbon foam in an inert atmosphere after the pyrolyzing.

25. A method for creating a pyrophoric material, comprising:

contacting a carbon foam with a solution comprising a metal alkoxide or a solution comprising a metal salt and a proton scavenger for forming an interpenetrating network of metal oxide gel in the carbon foam, the metal oxide comprising at least one of titanium and iron;

drying the gel using supercritical extraction; and

pyrolyzing for reducing the metal oxide network to a native metal thereof, thereby forming a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m 2 /g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam.

26. A pyrophoric material, comprising:

a pyrophoric metal-carbon foam composite comprising a carbon foam having micropores and mesopores and a surface area of greater than or equal to about 2000 m 2 /g, and metal particles in the pores of the carbon foam.

27. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the carbon foam is a pyrollized aerogel or xerogel.

28. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the carbon foam has micropores characteristic of thermal activation thereof.

29. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the metal is selected from a group consisting of iron, platinum, titanium, nickel, tin, and zirconium.

30. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the metal particles are structurally characteristic of liquid solution deposition of a precursor thereof followed by reduction of the precursor.

31. A material as recited in claim 30 , wherein the metal particles are coupled directly to the pores of the carbon foam.

32. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the material consists essentially of the metal particles and the carbon foam.

33. A material as recited in claim 26 , wherein the carbon foam is structurally strong enough to enable liquid impregnation and subsequent drying without cracking or shattering thereof.