Process for producing metal foams having uniform cell structure

Abstract

A method for producing porous metal plated polymeric foam having uniform pore properties. Polymeric foam buns are horizontally cut along a longitudinal surface thereby lifting off a foam sheet. The sheet is spooled and then reticulated to remove any remaining cell walls and to round off the internal pore struts to enlarge the openings between the adjacent cells. The reticulated foam sheet is unwound and then plated. Slabs may be attached end to end and loop slitted and then reticulated. The resulting plated uniform foam provides a superior substrate for battery plaques and other applications.

1 . A method for producing metal plated foam, the method comprising: 
 a) providing polymeric foam having at least one horizontal longitudinal surface;    b) cutting the horizontal longitudinal surface to form a planar foam sheet of known thickness; and    c) plating the planar foam sheet with metal.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  including spooling the planar foam sheet.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  including reticulating the planar foam sheet.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3  including thermal reticulating the planar foam sheet.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 2  including unwinding the spooled planar foam sheet.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1  including looping ends of the planar foam sheet together to form a foam loop.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the foam loop is slit to form a foam sheet.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the foam sheet is spooled and reticulated.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1  including attaching ends of two or more planar foam sheets together to form a longer planar foam slab.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric foam is made from polyurethane.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the planar foam sheet is plated by a method selected from at least one of the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, electroplating, and electroless plating.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the chemical vapor deposition method is selected from at least one of the group consisting of metal carbonyl decomposition, sputtering, and thermal evaporation.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the metal is selected from at least one of the group consisting of nickel, copper, chromium, cobalt, platinum, palladium, rhodium, silver, gold and iron.  
   
   
       14 . A method for producing metal plated foam, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a polymeric foam bun having at least one horizontal longitudinal surface,    b) cutting the horizontal longitudinal surface to form a planar foam sheet of known thickness, width and length,    c) spooling the planar foam sheet to form a foam coil,    d) reticulating the spooled planar foam,    e) unwinding the reticulated spooled planar foam,    f) plating the unwound reticulated planar foam, and, optionally    g) sintering the metal plated foam.    
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein plating is a method selected from at least one of the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, electroplating, and electroless plating.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 14  including thermal reticulating the spooled planar foam.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein the unwound reticulated planar foam is plated with at least one of the group consisting of nickel, copper, chromium, cobalt, platinum, palladium, rhodium, silver, gold and iron.  
   
   
       18 . A method for producing metal plated foam, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a polymeric foam bun having at least one horizontal longitudinal surface,    b) cutting the horizontal longitudinal surface to form a first planar foam sheet of known thickness, width and length,    c) looping the opposing ends of the first planar foam sheet to form a continuous foam loop,    d) cutting the continuous foam loop to form a second planar foam sheet,    e) spooling the second planar foam sheet into a foam coil,    f) reticulating the foam coil,    g) unwinding the reticulated foam coil to form at least one foam sheet,    h) plating the foam sheet, and, optionally,    i) sintering the metal plated foam sheet.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein plating is a method selected from at least one of the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, electroplating, and electroless plating.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18  including thermal reticulating the foam coil.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the foam sheet is plated with at least one of the group consisting of nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum, palladium, rhodium, silver, gold and iron.  
   
   
       22 . A method for producing metal plated foam, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a polymeric planar foam sheet of known thickness, width and length,    b) looping the opposing ends of the polymeric planar foam sheet to form a continuous foam loop,    c) cutting the continuous foam loop to form a second planar foam sheet,    d) spooling the second planar foam sheet into a foam coil,    e) flame reticulating the foam coil,    f) unwinding the reticulated foam coil to form at least one foam sheet,    g) plating the foam sheet, and, optionally    h) sintering the metal plated foam sheet.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein plating is a method selected from at least one of the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, electroplating, and electroless plating.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the foam sheet is plated with at least one of the group consisting of nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum, palladium, rhodium, silver, gold and iron.