(US5872074-A)      In the production of a high specific surface nanocrystalline material by leaching a material, having less than 100 nm crystal size and consisting of a composite or alloy of two or more distinct chemical elements or compounds, for (partial) removal of one or more of the elements or compounds, the initial composite or alloy is of metastable type and the distinct elements or compounds include one or more of H, C, N, O, F, Cl, P and S. Also claimed is a novel high specific surface nanocrystalline material which has a crystal size of less than 100 nm and a specific surface of 2 m2/g and which is made by the above process.    USE -   The nanocrystalline material is used for hydrogen storage or as a catalyst or electrocatalyst (claimed) e.g. as electrodes in fuel cells or for hydrogen or sodium chlorate production, or as absorbent and/or adsorbent materials such as molecular sieves or filtration membranes.    ADVANTAGE -   The process permits simple mass production of nanocrystalline materials which have very high specific surface, resulting in significant increase in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics and increased catalytic efficiency.    (EP963450-A1)      In the production of a high specific surface nanocrystalline material by leaching a material, having less than 100 nm crystal size and consisting of a composite or alloy of two or more distinct chemical elements or compounds, for (partial) removal of one or more of the elements or compounds, the initial composite or alloy is of metastable type and the distinct elements or compounds include one or more of H, C, N, O, F, Cl, P and S. Also claimed is a novel high specific surface nanocrystalline material which has a crystal size of less than 100 nm and a specific surface of 2 m2/g and which is made by the above process.    USE -   The nanocrystalline material is used for hydrogen storage or as a catalyst or electrocatalyst (claimed) e.g. as electrodes in fuel cells or for hydrogen or sodium chlorate production, or as absorbent and/or adsorbent materials such as molecular sieves or filtration membranes.    ADVANTAGE -   The process permits simple mass production of nanocrystalline materials which have very high specific surface, resulting in significant increase in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics and increased catalytic efficiency.    (JP2001511217-W)      In the production of a high specific surface nanocrystalline material by leaching a material, having less than 100 nm crystal size and consisting of a composite or alloy of two or more distinct chemical elements or compounds, for (partial) removal of one or more of the elements or compounds, the initial composite or alloy is of metastable type and the distinct elements or compounds include one or more of H, C, N, O, F, Cl, P and S. Also claimed is a novel high specific surface nanocrystalline material which has a crystal size of less than 100 nm and a specific surface of 2 m2/g and which is made by the above process.    USE -   The nanocrystalline material is used for hydrogen storage or as a catalyst or electrocatalyst (claimed) e.g. as electrodes in fuel cells or for hydrogen or sodium chlorate production, or as absorbent and/or adsorbent materials such as molecular sieves or filtration membranes.    ADVANTAGE -   The process permits simple mass production of nanocrystalline materials which have very high specific surface, resulting in significant increase in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics and increased catalytic efficiency.