Porous ceramic material and producing method of same, and valve unit

摘要

A porous ceramic material for a slidable member or unit such as a valve unit of a combination faucet. The porous ceramic material comprises a ceramic sintered body which is formed with pores dispersedly located therein. The pores are defined respectively by surface layers forming part of the ceramic sintered body. Each surface layer contains silicon in a content higher than that in other part of the ceramic sintered body. The porous ceramic material is prepared, for example, first by mixing ceramic powder and hollow particles each of which contains silicon so as to obtain a mixture; then by forming the mixture into a predetermined shape to obtain a formed body; and finally by sintering the formed body at a temperature higher than a melting point of each hollow particle to thus obtain the sintered body formed with pores and containing silicon.