US2004074338A1PendingUtilityA1

Method for producing metal foams and furnace for producing same

38
Priority: Jan 25, 2001Filed: Jan 24, 2002Published: Apr 22, 2004
Est. expiryJan 25, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Marc KuhnDamien Duncan
H01M 4/808C25D 1/08F27B 9/045B22F 3/1021F27B 9/147F27B 9/28F27D 99/007B22F 2999/00B22F 3/1137Y02E60/10
38
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Claims

Abstract

A method for producing a metal structure comprising the following steps: providing a metal-coated polymer substrate; heating the metal-coated polymer substrate in a hot zone, in which a temperature of at least 600° C. prevails and in which an atmosphere essentially composed of water vapor or of a mixture of water vapor and neutral gas is maintained, so as to remove the polymer substrate and form a metal structure; and cooling the metal structure in a cooling zone.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for producing a metal structure comprising the following steps: 
 providing a metal-coated polymer substrate;    heating the metal-coated polymer substrate in a hot zone, in which a temperature of at least 600° C. prevails and in which an atmosphere composed of at least 80 vol. % of water vapor is maintained, so as to remove the polymer substrate and form a metal structure; and    cooling the metal structure in a cooling zone.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the temperature in the hot zone is of at least 650° C., preferably of about 900 to 950° C.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the atmosphere in the hot zone is composed of about 90 vol. % of water vapor, more preferably of about 100 vol. %.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , characterized in that an atmosphere essentially composed of nitrogen is maintained in the cooling zone.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is continuously guided through the hot zone and through the cooling zone.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is made to slide on a sliding surface in the hot zone and in the cooling zone.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the sliding surface defines a descending slope towards the cooling zone.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is guided through the hot zone and the cooling zone on conveying means.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the conveying means is a moving metal foil.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is in coiled form.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is in strip form.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal of the metal-coated polymer substrate is chosen among the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, chromium, zinc, aluminum, lead, tin, gold, platinum or other metals belonging to the platinum group, and their alloys.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  12 , characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is a copper-coated polymer substrate or nickel-coated polymer substrate.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hot zone and the cooling zone are configured in such a way as to allow at least part of the gases contained in the cooling zone to flow to the hot zone.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said polymer substrate is made from a material selected from the goup comprising reticulated open cell foam structures, closed cell foam structures, felt, woven or non-woven structures or similar structures, and their combinations.  
     
     
         16 . A furnace for producing a metal structure from a metal-coated polymer substrate comprising: 
 a hot zone,    a cooling zone, adjacent to the hot zone;    a surface extending through the hot zone and the cooling zone for moving the metal-coated polymer substrate respectively the metal structure through the hot zone and the cooling zone    wherein the hot zone comprises heating means to heat the hot zone to a temperature of at least 600° C., injecting means to inject water vapor into the hot zone in such a way as to maintain a water vapor concentration of at least 80 vol. %, and extraction means to extract gas from the hot zone; and    wherein the cooling zone comprises injecting means to inject neutral and/or reducing gases into the cooling zone, and wherein at least part of the gases contained in the cooling zone are transferred to the hot zone and extracted form the hot zone through the extracting means.    
     
     
         17 . The furnace according to  claim 16 , characterized in that water vapor is injected in the hot zone in such a way that a water vapor concentration of about 90 vol. %, preferably about 100 vol. %, is maintained therein.  
     
     
         18 . The furnace according to  claim 16  or  17 , characterized by baffle means separating the hot zone from the cooling zone.  
     
     
         19 . The furnace according to  claim 16 ,  17  or  18 , characterized in that the surface defines a descending slope towards the cooling zone.  
     
     
         20 . The furnace according to any one of the  claims 16  to  19 , characterized by conveying means guiding the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, through the hot zone and the cooling zone  
     
     
         21 . The furnace according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the conveying means is a moving metal foil.  
     
     
         22 . The furnace according to any one of  claims 16  to  21 , characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is in coiled form.  
     
     
         23 . The furnace according to any one of  claims 16  to  21 , characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is in strip form.  
     
     
         24 . The furnace according to any one of  claims 16  to  23 , characterized in that the metal of the metal-coated polymer substrate is chosen among the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, chromium, zinc, aluminum, lead, tin, gold, platinum or other metals belonging to the platinum group and their alloys.  
     
     
         25 . The furnace according to any one of  claims 16  to  23 , characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is a copper-coated polymer substrate or a nickel-coated polymer substrate.  
     
     
         26 . The furnace according to any one of  claims 16  to  25 , characterized in that said polymer substrate is made from a material selected from the goup comprising reticulated open cell foam structures, closed cell foam structures, felt, woven or non-woven structures or similar structures, and their combinations

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