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Abstract

The present invention provides for amorphous, nanoporous, catalytic metal-containing ceramic material having a surface area in excess of 70 m.sup.2 /gm and characterized by a high content of open microporous cell structure wherein the micropores have a mean width of less than 20 Angstroms and wherein said microporous structure comprises a volume of greater than about 0.03 cm.sup.3 /gm of the ceramic. The invention also provides for a preceramic composite intermediate composition comprising a mixture of a ceramic precursor and from about 0.5 up to about 65 wt % of an organometallic compound containing a metal of Group IB, II, III, IV, IV, V, VIB, VIIA or VIII of the Periodic Table, including rare earth metals, whose pyrolysis product in ammonia or an inert atmosphere at temperatures of up to less than about 1100.degree. C. gives rise to the nanoporous catalytic ceramics of the invention. Also provided is a process for the preparation of the nanoporous ceramics of the invention involving pyrolysis of the ceramic intermediate under controlled conditions of heating up to temperatures of less than about 1100.degree. C. to form a nanoporous ceramic product useful in catalytic and membrane separation processes.

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First Claim