BULK METALLIC GLASS NANOWIRES FOR USE IN ENERGY CONVERSION AND STORAGE DEVICES

摘要

A class of materials having advantageous utility in electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cells, is disclosed. The disclosed materials circumvent conventional Pt-based anode poisoning and the agglomeration/dissolution of supported catalysts during long-term operation by exploiting the unique physical and chemical properties of bulk metallic glass (BMG) to create nanowires for electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cell and battery applications. These amorphous metals can achieve unusual geometries and shapes along multiple length scales. BMGs are a subset of glass forming alloys that can be easily vitrified and formed into relatively large amorphous sections. The absence of crystallites, grain boundaries and dislocations in the amorphous structure of bulk metallic glass results in a homogeneous and isotropic material down to the atomic scale, which displays very high strength, hardness, elastic strain limit and corrosion resistance. The melting temperatures of the disclosed BMGs are much lower than the estimated melting temperatures based on interpolation of the alloy constituents making them attractive as highly malleable materials.