The invention relates to a method for producing a metal-foam body, comprising the steps of (a) providing a metal-foam body A, which consists of nickel, cobalt, copper, or alloys or combinations thereof, (b) applying an aluminum-containing material MP to metal-foam body A so as to obtain metal-foam body AX, (c) thermally treating of metal-foam body AX, with the exclusion of oxygen, to achieve the formation of an alloy between the metallic components of metal-foam body A and the aluminum-containing material MP so as to obtain metal-foam body B, wherein the duration of the thermal treatment is chosen in dependence on the temperature of the thermal treatment and the temperature of the thermal treatment is chosen in dependence on the thickness of the metal-foam body AX. The invention also relates to the metal-foam bodies obtainable by the methods according to the invention and to the use thereof as catalysts for chemical transformations.

The invention provides a cross-flow separation element comprising a single-piece rigid porous support (2) having within its volume at least one channel (4.sub.1) for passing a flow of the fluid medium for treatment, which channel presents a flexuous flow volume (V1) defined by sweeping a generator section along a curvilinear path around a reference axis, and in that the reference axis does not intersect said generator section and is contained within the volume of the porous support.

A method for producing a metal shaped article having a porous structure includes a mold formation step of forming a mold having a plurality of columnar structures extending from a substrate by performing a resin material supply step of supplying a liquid containing a resin material to a plurality of places of the substrate at intervals in two directions crossing each other, and a curing step of curing the liquid, a sintering target material supply step of supplying a sintering target material to the mold, a removal step of removing the substrate, a degreasing step of degreasing the columnar structures, and a sintering step of sintering the sintering target material.

A metal foam ball, several millimeters in diameter, is manufactured to have an open-pore structure to absorb fluid (e.g., gas and liquid) such as water or lubricant. As an example, a copper foam ball is manufactured via a freeze casting method using prepared oxide powder slurry where a spherical silica gel mold is used to freeze the slurry, which is subsequently dried at low temperature in vacuum and then sintered at high temperature. For improved oxidation, copper alloy foam ball or copper foam ball coated with tin can also be manufactured through the same method. For improved strength, steel, copper-nickel alloy, or titanium foam ball can also be manufactured through the same method.

A metal foam ball, several millimeters in diameter, is manufactured to have an open-pore structure to absorb fluid (e.g., gas and liquid) such as water or lubricant. As an example, a copper foam ball is manufactured via a freeze casting method using prepared oxide powder slurry where a spherical silica gel mold is used to freeze the slurry, which is subsequently dried at low temperature in vacuum and then sintered at high temperature. For improved oxidation, copper alloy foam ball or copper foam ball coated with tin can also be manufactured through the same method. For improved strength, steel, copper-nickel alloy, or titanium foam ball can also be manufactured through the same method.

The present invention relates to a method for producing supported catalysts, comprising: providing a metal foam element A, which consists of metallic cobalt, an alloy of nickel and cobalt, or an arrangement of layers of nickel and cobalt, lying one over the other; applying an aluminum-containing powder MP to metal foam element A in order to obtain metal foam element AX; thermally treating metal foam element AX to achieve alloy formation between metal foam element A and aluminum-containing powder MP, in order to obtain metal foam element B; oxidatively treating metal foam element B, in order to obtain metal foam element C; and applying a catalytically active layer, comprising at least one support oxide and at least one catalytically active component, to at least part of the surface of metal foam element C, in order to obtain a supported catalyst. The present invention further relates to the supported catalysts that can be obtained using the method and to the use of said supported catalysts in chemical transformations.

A method for plasma ion processing is described, including flowing a gas into porous material; and exposing the gas to a pulsed electric field whilst the gas is in the pores. The pulsed electric field ionises the gas to generate a plasma. The method may additionally include exposing the porous material to a gas so as to generate functionality. The method may additionally include exposing the functionalised porous material to a functional species so as to covalently attach said functional species to the surfaces of the pores.

A composite for a porous transport layer may include a particulate substrate including at least one selected from a group consisting of an oxide of a first metal and a second metal, and nanoparticles of a third metal formed on a surface of the particulate substrate, a sintered body thereof, and a method for preparing the same.

A densified, high-strength metallic component is manufactured by: binder jet additive manufacture (BJAM) printing a powder blend to form a printed part; and super solidus sintering the printed part to form the metallic component, which may then be heat treated. The powder blend comprises a blend of water atomized base iron powder and a high-carbon master ferroalloy powder. The high-carbon ferroalloy powder introduces high concentrations of carbon into a powder blend that is readily BJAM printable.

The present invention provides a metal foam production method that enables a foaming process to be performed at low cost and enables controlling of the shape of metal foam. According to the present invention, a mold that transmits light and a precursor prepared by mixing a metal with a foaming agent are used, and a metal foam is produced by irradiating the precursor with a light transmitted through the mold to thereby heat and foam the precursor so as to obtain a metal foam, while controlling the shape of the metal foam by the mold.