Metallic fibrous skeletal catalysts and process for producing them

Claim 2

Active catalytic material which comprises a plurality of porous single crystal metallic fibers of high surface area comprising metals selected from the group consisting of the IB metals, the IVB metals, the VB metals, the VIB metals, the VIIB metals, and the VIII metals.

Claim 3

A process producing catalytically active porous single crystal metallic fibers of high surface area including the steps of a. providing a mass of material of eutectic composition which solidified has a microstructure which include a solid solution matrix containing a discrete intermetallic phase, said intermetallic phase being a compound between the predominant element of the matrix phase and a catalytically active metal, said predominant element of the matrix phase being less noble than the catalytically active element; b. solidifying the eutectic material to provide a plurality of single crystal intermetallic fibers surrounded by a continuous matrix; c. preferentially removing the matrix to leave a plurality of single crystal intermetallic fibers; and d. preferentially removing at least a portion of the less noble element from the fibers to produce a plurality of porous catalytically active single crystal metallic fibers.

Claim 4

A process producing catalytically active porous single crystal metallic fibers of high surface area including the steps of a. providing a mass of material of eutectic composition which solidified has a microstructure which include a solid solution matrix containing a discrete intermetallic phase, said intermetallic phase being a compound between the predominant element of the matrix phase and a catalytically active metal, said predominant element of the matrix phase being less noble than the catalytically active element; b. solidifying the eutectic material to provide a plurality of single crystal intermetallic fibers surrounded by a continuous matrix; c. preferentially removing the matrix to leave a plurality of single crystal intermetallic fibers; and d. preferentially removing at least a portion of the less noble element from the fibers to produce a plurality of porous catalytically active single crystal metallic fibers.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 2 wherein steps c. and d. are performed concurrently.

Claim 6

A process as in claim 2 wherein the solidification process is a directional solidification whereby the resultant single crystal fibers are oriented within the matrix and are of constant diameter.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 2 wherein the solidification process is a liquid metal atomization process which produces metal powder containing single crystal intermetallic fibers.

Claim 8

Catalytic fibers as in claim 1 consisting essentially of a material chosen from the group consisting of Ni, Pt, Os, Pd, Ru, Re, Rh, Au, Ir, Co, Fe, Mo, Cu and Ag.

Claim 9

A process as in claim 2 wherein the predominant element of the matrix phase is selected from the group consisting of Al, Cu, Mg, Zn, and Si.

Claim 10

A process as in claim 2 wherein the predominant element of the matrix phase is aluminum.

Claim 11

A process as in claim 2 wherein the catalytic element which forms the intermetallic phase is selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Co, Ni, Pt, Fe, and Mo.