A process is disclosed for producing a magnetocaloric composite material for a heat exchanger. The process comprises the following steps: Providing (S110) a plurality of particles (110) of a magnetocaloric material in a shaped body (200) and immersing the plurality of particles (110) present in the shaped body (200) into a bath in order to coat the particles by a chemical reaction and bond them to one another.

The present invention relates to a foam material comprising:—a structural matrix (1),—at least one guest phase (2), and—a fluid, the material being characterised in that the structural matrix (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected pores (3), the one or more guest phases (2) are accommodated inside at least one pore (3) of the structural matrix (1) and the fluid is accommodated inside the pores (3). The present invention further relates to the process for preparing the foam material according to the present invention and to the various uses of the foam material according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to a foam material comprising:—a structural matrix (1),—at least one guest phase (2), and—a fluid, the material being characterised in that the structural matrix (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected pores (3), the one or more guest phases (2) are accommodated inside at least one pore (3) of the structural matrix (1) and the fluid is accommodated inside the pores (3). The present invention further relates to the process for preparing the foam material according to the present invention and to the various uses of the foam material according to the present invention.

A vacuum impregnation system and processes that subject a part to a vacuum, immerse the part in a polymer impregnating liquid, and apply positive pressure to the part to introduce the polymer impregnating liquid into part porosities, releasing the pressure to atmospheric pressure and solidifying the polymer impregnating liquid, preferably without an active polymerization step.

A vacuum impregnation system and processes that subject a part to a vacuum, immerse the part in a polymer impregnating liquid, and apply positive pressure to the part to introduce the polymer impregnating liquid into part porosities, releasing the pressure to atmospheric pressure and solidifying the polymer impregnating liquid, preferably without an active polymerization step.

A system for additive metal manufacturing, including a deposition mechanism, a translation mechanism mounting the deposition mechanism to the working volume, and a stage. A method for additive metal manufacturing including: selectively depositing a material carrier within the working volume; removing an additive from the material carrier; and treating the resultant material.

Provided is a method for producing a sliding member formed by impregnating a porous base member made of a bronze-based alloy with a resin material, the sliding member including a sliding surface where both the porous base member and the resin material are exposed, the method including: a step of preparing a back metal layer; a porous base member formation step of forming the porous base member by depositing particles of the bronze-based alloy on a surface of the back metal layer and sintering the particles; an impregnation step of impregnating the porous base member with the resin material; a deformation step of deforming an end edge of the back metal layer in a direction away from the sliding surface; and a cutting step of cutting the porous base member impregnated with the resin material to form the sliding surface.

Provided is a method for producing a sliding member formed by impregnating a porous base member made of a bronze-based alloy with a resin material, the sliding member including a sliding surface where both the porous base member and the resin material are exposed, the method including: a step of preparing a back metal layer; a porous base member formation step of forming the porous base member by depositing particles of the bronze-based alloy on a surface of the back metal layer and sintering the particles; an impregnation step of impregnating the porous base member with the resin material; a deformation step of deforming an end edge of the back metal layer in a direction away from the sliding surface; and a cutting step of cutting the porous base member impregnated with the resin material to form the sliding surface.

A sliding member (10) includes a base material (12), a porous sintered layer (14) provided on the base material (12), and a resin layer (16) impregnated into the porous sintered layer (14) and provided on the porous sintered layer (14). In the porous sintered layer (14), a porosity decreases from a second surface (S2) opposite to a first surface (S1) closer to the base material, toward the first surface (S1), the first surface and the second surface each being one of end surfaces in the thickness direction, and a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a first region (E1) occupying 50% or more of the thickness of the porous sintered layer (14) from the second surface (S2) toward the first surface (S1) is larger than a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a second region (E2) other than the first region (E1) in the porous sintered layer (14).

A sliding member (10) includes a base material (12), a porous sintered layer (14) provided on the base material (12), and a resin layer (16) impregnated into the porous sintered layer (14) and provided on the porous sintered layer (14). In the porous sintered layer (14), a porosity decreases from a second surface (S2) opposite to a first surface (S1) closer to the base material, toward the first surface (S1), the first surface and the second surface each being one of end surfaces in the thickness direction, and a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a first region (E1) occupying 50% or more of the thickness of the porous sintered layer (14) from the second surface (S2) toward the first surface (S1) is larger than a decrease rate of the porosity in the thickness direction (Z) in a second region (E2) other than the first region (E1) in the porous sintered layer (14).