Process for the preparation of metal oxides having an enlarged pore volume

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A HIGHLY POROUS, SUBSTANTIALLY PURE METAL OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, IRON, COBALT, CHROMIUM, NICKEL, CALCIUM AND SILVER AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID OXIDE HAVING A PURE SIZE RANGE WITHIN THE LIMITS OF 0.1 TO 100 MICRONS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING: (A) INTIMATELY MIXING A FINELY DIVIDED FUSIBLE SALT OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, RION, COBALT, CHROMIUM, NICKEL, CALCIUM AND SILVER WITH AT LEAST ONE WATER SOLUBLE ORGANIC POLYMER POSSESSING FUNCTIONAL GROUPS CAPABLE OF REACTING WITH THE CATION OF SAID METAL, SAID POLYMER BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOLS, POLYACRYLAMIDES AND COPOLYMERS CONTAINING VINYL ALCOHOLS AND ACRYLAMIDES, SAID POLYMER FURTHER BEING SOLUBLE IN SAID FUSED SALT, BEING STABLE AT THE DRYING TEMPERATURE OF SAID FUSED SALT BUT BEING COMBUSTIBLE AT THE CALCINING TEMPERATURE OF SAID METAL OXIDE, SAID POLYMER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT 0.5 TO 65% BY WEIGHT; (B) MELTING SAID MIXTURE OF SAID SALT AND SAID POLYMER, THEREBY FORMING A HYDRATED CO-OXDINATE COMPOUND THEREOF; (C) HEATING AND DEHYDRATING SAID MIXTURE AND SAID COORDINATE COMPOUND DECOMPOSES, THEREBY YIELDING SAID METAL OXIDE IN HIGHLY POROUS FORM; AND (D) CALCINING SAID OXIDE AT A MAXIUMUM TEMPERATURE OF 600*C., THEREBY TO REMOVE THEREFROM ANY RESIDUE REMAINING THEREIN.