PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF OPEN-CELL METAL FOAMS

The subject of the invention is preparation of self-supporting, self-cleaning open-cell metal foams containing one or more transition metals of the following transition metals: Ag, Au, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ir, Mn, Mo, Nb, Os, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru, Ta, Tc, W, one or more non- metals of the following non-metals: Ge, Sb, Si and/or their alloys, where in the first step, in a prescribed amount of one of the components A or B, or in the mixture of the two components A and B required to prepare a commercially available polyurethane foam (where A means a polyol and B means a diisocyanate or its derivative) the particles of the target material(s) are dissolved in elemental form or in the form of their alloy and/or oxide (oxide mixture), and in this way a polyurethane foam is prepared. The resulting composite polyurethane foam which contains the active material in dispersed, colloidal structure is subjected to heat treatment in vacuum, if desired in the presence of elemental carbon. By this metallurgical method, following decomposition of the organic components, an open-cell transition metal or non-metal sintered solid foam is obtained. As a result of this method, from 20 transition metals (Ag, Au, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ir, Mn, Mo, Nb, Os, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru, Ta, Tc, W) and 3 non-metals (Ge, Sb, Si) open-cell metal foams of one or more components (alloys) are prepared, which, owing to their high specific surface area and their mechanical characteristics are suitable for application as catalysts or catalyst supports in hydrogenation or oxidation processes.