Method for producing porous metal with micro-holes

Abstract

A method for producing porous metal with micro-holes comprises the steps of selecting a base material, sintering or smelting, removing the filling material, washing, drying and reduction. The base material is selected from pure metal and alloy powder for sintering or casting. The filling material is fine powder solvable in water or in alkaline solvents. The sintering step further includes steps of mixing and metal powder metallurgy. The casting utilizes high or low waves to fuse the base material particles. A selected solvent removes the filling material in the raw metal bulk produced in the sintering or casting step, and a product of porous metal with micro-holes is formed.

1 . A powder metallurgy method for producing porous metal with micro-holes, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting materials, a base material being selected from pure metal powder and alloy powder for sintering; a filling material being fine powder solvable in water or in alkaline solvents, said filling material having a melting point higher than that of said base material;    (b) sintering, said sintering further including a mixing step for mixing said base material and said filling material and in which a binding material for making the piling of said base and said filling materials uniform and dense, said mixture being dried and preheated to remove the water vapor attached to said filling material, said mixture being heated to sintering temperature to become a dense metal bulk having micro-hole texture;    (c) removing said filling material by immerging said metal bulk in a washing tank of a selected solvent and then applying ultrasonic waves for shaking away said filling material, whereby a porous metal half-product with micro-holes configured by said sintered base material is formed;    (d) washing away remained solvent between micro-holes of said porous metal half-product; and    (e) drying away remained water drops between micro-holes of said porous metal half-product from said washing step;    whereby product of porous metals with micro-holes can be formed.    
   
   
       2 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Al metal and alloys of Al and another metal selected from Si, Mg, Cu and Zn, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       3 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Cu metal and alloys of Cu and another metal selected from Zn, Sn, Al and P, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       4 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is pure Fe metal powder, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       5 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Pb metal and alloys of Pb and another metal selected from Sn and Zn, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       6 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Mg metal and alloys of Mg and another metal selected from Li, Al and Cu, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       7 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Mn metal and alloys of Mn and another metal selected from Fe and Ni, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       8 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Mo metal and alloys of Mo and another metal selected from Fe, Ni, Co and Cr, and wherein said filling material is fine powder of MgO.  
   
   
       9 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Ni metal and alloys of Ni and another metal selected from Fe, Cr, Mo and Co, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       10 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Ag metal and alloys of Ag and Cu, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       11 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Sn metal and alloys of Sn and another metal selected from Pb, Cu and Bi, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       12 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure W metal and alloys of W and another metal selected from Ni, Cu and Ag, wherein pure Ni metal powder is added, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       13 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure V metal and alloys of V and another metal selected from Mo, Ni, Co and Ti, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       14 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said base material is in powder form and selected from pure Ti metal and alloys of Ti and another metal selected from Al, Ni and Co, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       15 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein volume ratio of said filling material to said base material is larger than 1.  
   
   
       16 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is CH 3 CH 2 OH when said filling material is CaCl 2 .  
   
   
       17 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 16  wherein said solvent is suitable for Al, Pb, Mg and Sn in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       18 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is NH 4 Cl when said filling material is MnO.  
   
   
       19 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 18  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Ni in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       20 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is cold or hot water when said filling material is NaCl.  
   
   
       21 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 20  wherein said-solvent is suitable for Al, Pb, Mg and Sn in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       22 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is TiO 2 .  
   
   
       23 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 22  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Mg in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       24 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is WO 3 .  
   
   
       25 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 24  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       26 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is V 2 O 3 .  
   
   
       27 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 26  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       28 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is ZnO.  
   
   
       29 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 28  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       30 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said solvent is selected from NH 4 OH and NH 4 Cl when said filling material is MgO.  
   
   
       31 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 30  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V, Ti and Mo in pure and alloy forms as said sintering base material.  
   
   
       32 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said preheat temperature for removing water attached to said filling material is from 500 to 700° C.  
   
   
       33 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said sintering temperature is above half of the melting point of said base material and blow the melting point of said filling material.  
   
   
       34 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said washing step is performed in a tank provided with ultrasonic waves.  
   
   
       35 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said drying step is performed an infrared oven.  
   
   
       36 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  wherein said drying step is performed in a microwave oven having a microwave frequency from 100 to 140 GHz and a wavelength from 1 mm to 1 m.  
   
   
       37 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 1  further including a step of reduction for removing oxidation layers (films) when said filling material is an oxide.  
   
   
       38 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 37  wherein said step of reduction is placing said porous metal after drying in a vacuum chamber, filling in hydrogen gas as a reduction gas for the reduction reaction by which said oxidation layers (films) between micro-holes of said porous metal are removed.  
   
   
       39 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 37  wherein said step of reduction is performed using a solvent that dissolves said oxidation layers (films) between micro-holes of said porous metal.  
   
   
       40 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 39  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH, KOH, NH 4 Cl and NH 4 OH.  
   
   
       41 . A smelting method for producing porous metal with micro-holes, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting materials, a base material being selected from pure metal and alloy of a predetermined melting point for smelting; a filling material being fine powder solvable in water or in alkaline solvents, said filling material having a melting point higher than that of said base material;    (b) smelting, said smelting further including a mixing step for mixing said base material and said filling material in an oven equipped with high or low frequency waves for inducing a desired magnetic stirring effect, said smelted mixture being disposed in a thermo chamber equipped with ultrasonic waves for uniformly stirring, said mixture undergoing a fast casting process whereby solid particles of said filling material can be uniformly distributed between molten smelting base material, said mixture undergoing being cooled to form a dense metal bulk having micro-hole texture;    (c) removing said filling material by immerging said metal bulk in a washing tank of a selected solvent and then applying ultrasonic waves for shaking away said filling material, whereby a porous metal half-product with micro-holes configured by said sintered base material is formed;    (d) washing away remained solvent between micro-holes of said porous metal half-product; and    (e) drying away remained water drops between micro-holes of said porous metal half-product from said washing step;    whereby product of porous metals with micro-holes can be formed.    
   
   
       42 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein a high frequency oven is used for said smelting step when said base material is of high melting point.  
   
   
       43 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Cu metal and alloys of Cu and another metal selected from Zn, Sn, Al and P, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       44 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is pure Fe metal, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       45 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Mn metal and alloys of Mn and another metal selected from Fe and Ni, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       46 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Mo metal and alloys of Mo and another metal selected from Fe, Ni, Co and Cr, and wherein said filling material is fine powder of MgO.  
   
   
       47 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Ni metal and alloys of Ni and another metal selected from Fe, Cr, Mo and Co, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       48 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Ag metal and alloys of Ag and Cu, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       49 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure W metal and alloys of W and another metal selected from Ni, Cu and Ag, wherein pure Ni metal powder is added, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       50 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure V metal and alloys of V and another metal selected from Mo, Ni, Co and Ti, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       51 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for high melting-point smelting is selected from pure Ti metal and alloys of Ti and another metal selected from Al, Ni and Co, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       52 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of claim  41 wherein said solvent is CH 3 CH 2 OH when said filling material is CaCl 2 .  
   
   
       53 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 52  wherein said solvent is suitable for Al, Pb, Mg and Sn in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       54 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of claim  41 wherein said solvent is NH 4 Cl when said filling material is MnO.  
   
   
       55 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 54  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Ni in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       56 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is cold or hot water when said filling material is NaCl.  
   
   
       57 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 56  wherein said solvent is suitable for Al, Pb, Mg and Sn in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       58 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is TiO 2 .  
   
   
       59 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 58  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Mg in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       60 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is WO 3 .  
   
   
       61 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 60  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       62 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is V 2 O 3 .  
   
   
       63 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 62  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       64 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH and KOH when said filling material is ZnO.  
   
   
       65 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 64  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V and Ti in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       66 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said solvent is selected from NH 4 OH and NH 4 Cl when said filling material is MgO.  
   
   
       67 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 66  wherein said solvent is suitable for Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ag, V, Ti and Mo in pure and alloy forms as said base material.  
   
   
       68 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein volume ratio of said filling material to said base material for high or low melting-point smelting is larger than 1.  
   
   
       69 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said smelting temperature is above the melting point of said base material, and blow the melting point of said filling material.  
   
   
       70 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said washing step is performed in a tank provided with ultrasonic waves.  
   
   
       71 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said drying step is performed an infrared oven.  
   
   
       72 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said drying step is performed in a microwave oven having a microwave frequency from 100 to 140 GHz and a wavelength from 1 mm to 1 m.  
   
   
       73 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  further including a step of reduction for removing oxidation layers (films) when said filling material is an oxide.  
   
   
       74 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 73  wherein said step of reduction is placing said porous metal after drying in a vacuum chamber, filling in hydrogen gas as a reduction gas for the reduction reaction by which said oxidation layers (films) between micro-holes of said porous metal are removed.  
   
   
       75 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 73  wherein said step of reduction is performed using a solvent that dissolves said oxidation layers (films) between micro-holes of said porous metal.  
   
   
       76 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 75  wherein said solvent is selected from NaOH, KOH, NH 4 Cl and NH 4 OH.  
   
   
       77 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein a low frequency oven is used for said smelting step when said base material is of low melting point.  
   
   
       78 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for low melting-point smelting is selected from pure Al metal and alloys of Al and another metal selected from Si, Mg, Cu and Zn, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       79 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for low melting-point smelting is selected from pure Pb metal and alloys of Pb and another metal selected from Sn and Zn, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       80 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for low melting-point smelting is selected from pure Mg metal and alloys of Mg and another metal selected from Li, Al and Cu, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       81 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for low melting-point smelting is selected from pure Ag metal and alloys of Ag and Cu, and wherein said filling material is fine powder selected from MnO, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.  
   
   
       82 . The method for producing porous metal with micro-holes of  claim 41  wherein said base material for low melting-point smelting is selected from pure Sn metal and alloys of Sn and another metal selected from Pb, Ni, Cu and Bi, and wherein said filling material is selected from fine powder of CaCl 2 , MnO, NaCl, TiO 2 , WO 3 , V 2 O 3 , ZnO and MgO.