LOW TEMPERATURE, HIGH YIELD SYNTHESIS OF HYDROGEN TERMINATED HIGHLY POROUS AMORPHOUS SILICON, AND NANOMATERIALS AND COMPOSITES FROM ZINTL PHASES

The present disclosure relates to an improved process for the synthesis of hydrogen terminated silicon from Zintl phases. The hydrogen terminated silicon is useful, for example, as explosives, chemical and biochemical sensors, optoelectronic materials and Li-ion battery anode ion storage materials. The present disclosure also relates to an improved process for the synthesis of nanomaterials and composites from Zintl phases. The nanomaterials and composites are useful, for example, as ion storage materials.