The present invention relates to processes for producing metal foam bodies, in which metal-containing powders that may comprise aluminium and chromium or molybdenum are applied to metal foam bodies that may comprise nickel, cobalt, copper and iron and then treated thermally, wherein the highest temperature in the thermal treatment of the metal foam bodies is in the range from 680 to 715? C., and wherein the total duration of the thermal treatment within the temperature range from 680 to 715? C. is between 5 and 240 seconds. Following this method of thermal treatment can achieve alloy formation at the contact surface between metal foam body and metal-containing powder, but simultaneously leave unalloyed regions within the metal foam. The present invention further comprises processes comprising the treatment of the alloyed metal foam bodies with basic solution. The present invention further comprises the metal foam bodies obtainable by these processes, which find use, for example, as support and structure components and in catalyst technology.

A process for producing a metal foam. The process includes mechanically working a metallic powder such that oxide particles are finely dispersed within a metallic matrix of the metallic particles that make up the metallic powder. The mechanically worked metallic powder is then annealed in a reducing atmosphere, which in turn reduces the oxide particles within the metallic particles such that H.sub.2O gas molecules (steam) are formed within the metallic matrix and intraparticle porosity is produced.

A process for producing a metal foam. The process includes mechanically working a metallic powder such that oxide particles are finely dispersed within a metallic matrix of the metallic particles that make up the metallic powder. The mechanically worked metallic powder is then annealed in a reducing atmosphere, which in turn reduces the oxide particles within the metallic particles such that H.sub.2O gas molecules (steam) are formed within the metallic matrix and intraparticle porosity is produced.

Ultralow density ionic material foams, with density approaching 0.1% of the bulk density, and synthesis methods using interconnected metallic nanowires are provided. Nanowires of various sizes and metals are dispersed into a freezable liquid through a suitable fluid exchange. Surface treatments ensure that nanowires remain sufficiently metallic and physically separated. Wire-liquid solutions can be dropped directly into liquid nitrogen in the form of droplets or placed into molds of various shapes. A freeze drying technique is employed to turn the resulting ice-wire mixture into a freestanding, low-density foam composed of interlocked nanowires. Sintering or oxidation and reduction treatment of the foam material at elevated temperatures is used to connect the nanowires into an interconnected metallic foam. Metals of the metal foams are then processed into ionic materials including oxides, nitrides, chlorides, hydrides, fluorides, iodides and carbides.

A method of manufacturing a nanoporous structure on a substrate includes: additively forming a precursor structure from at least one of a metal oxide or a metal cluster compound on a substrate; exposing the precursor structure to a vapor of an organic linker; and reacting the at least one of the metal oxide or the metal cluster compound in the precursor structure with the organic linker to form the nanoporous structure comprising a metal-organic framework.

The porous copper body of the disclosure includes a skeleton having a three-dimensional network structure, in which a porosity is in a range of 50% to 90% and a porosity-normalized electrical conductivity .sub.N which is defined by dividing a electrical conductivity of the porous copper body, measured by a 4-terminal sensing, by an apparent density ratio of the porous copper body is 20% IACS or higher.

The porous copper body of the disclosure includes a skeleton having a three-dimensional network structure, in which a porosity is in a range of 50% to 90% and a porosity-normalized electrical conductivity .sub.N which is defined by dividing a electrical conductivity of the porous copper body, measured by a 4-terminal sensing, by an apparent density ratio of the porous copper body is 20% IACS or higher.

Embodiments of the invention relate to processes for the production of a creep-resistant material. One of the processes provides the following: provision of a metal powder; provision of metallic or ceramic nanoparticles; mixing of the metal powder with the nanoparticles, where during the mixing procedure the particles of the metal powder and the nanoparticles neither change their size nor change their shape; and consolidation of the mixture of metal powder and of nanoparticles to form a material with a polycrystalline metal structure, where the individual grains which have resulted from the consolidation and which are part of the polycrystalline metal structure have been produced from the particles of the metal powder and are separated from one another by grain boundaries, and where the arrangement has the nanoparticles at the grain boundaries.

A method for making a porous metal article of manufacture is provided. The method includes subjecting a saturated aqueous electrolytic solution wherein silver or copper is a donor in a container with two electrodes, where dendrite crystals of silver or copper or silver or copper nanowires are formed and collected. The collected dendrite crystals or nanowires are pressed and sintered, thereafter cooled to room temperature at room temperature and finally pressing the cooled geometric shape to form the porous silver metal article of manufacture. The collected dendrites crystals or nanowires also can be pressed in a carbon based mold or, alternatively, a non-carbon based mold and in vacuum, sintered, cooled to room temperature.

Ultralow density pure metal foams, with density approaching 0.1% of the bulk density, and synthesis methods using interconnected metallic nanowires are provided. Nanowires of various sizes and metals are synthesized by electrodeposition into nanoporous templates such as anodized aluminum oxide or polycarbonate. The templates are etched away and the nanowires are dispersed into water through a suitable fluid exchange. Surface treatments ensure that nanowires remain sufficiently metallic and physically separated. Wire-water solutions can be dropped directly into liquid nitrogen in the form of droplets or placed into molds of various shapes. A freeze drying technique is employed to turn the resulting ice-wire mixture into a freestanding, low-density foam composed of interlocked nanowires. Finally, sintering or oxidation and reduction treatment of the foam material at elevated temperatures is used to connect the nanowires into an interconnected metallic foam, greatly improving the strength of the structure.