POROUS METAL AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a porous metal having a size of voids of≤1 mm and a void fraction of≥60% for which only limited production methods were available in the conventional technique, and to provide the method of producing the same. SOLUTION: Metal powder comprising one or more components is sealed together with a gas of a pressure equal to or greater than the atmospheric pressure into the inside of a metallic vessel which can be plastically worked. The metallic vessel is pressurized at a high temperature to sinter the metal powder and to compress the gas. Next, the sintered compact comprising the high pressure gas is heated to a solid-liquid two phase state, and the volume of the gas in a solid-liquid two phase state is expanded to form voids. Thus, the porous metal comprising voids of≤1 mm and having a void fraction of≥60% is produced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO