METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING METAL FOAM

Abstract

The present application provides a method for manufacturing a metal foam. The present application can provide a method for manufacturing a metal foam, which is capable of forming a metal foam comprising uniformly formed pores and having excellent mechanical properties as well as the desired porosity, and a metal foam having the above characteristics. In addition, the present application can provide a method capable of forming a metal foam in which the above-mentioned physical properties are ensured, while being in the form of a thin film or sheet, within a fast process time, and such a metal foam.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a metal foam comprising a step of sintering a structure comprising a metal component, which comprises a conductive metal having a relative magnetic permeability of 90 or more, and an organic binder.

2. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the conductive metal has a conductivity at 20 C. of 8 MS/m or more.

3. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the conductive metal is nickel, iron or cobalt.

4. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises, on the basis of weight, 30% by weight or more of the conductive metal.

5. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the conductive metal has an average particle diameter in a range of 5 m to 100 m.

6. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the organic binder is alkyl cellulose, polyalkylene carbonate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyalkylene oxide or polyvinyl acetate.

7. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises 10 to 400 parts by weight of the organic binder, relative to 100 parts by weight of the metal component.

8. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the structure is produced by using a slurry containing a metal component and an organic binder.

9. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the structure is in a film or sheet shape.

10. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 9, wherein the film or sheet has a thickness of 5,000 m or less.

11. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 1, wherein the sintering of the structure is performed by applying an electromagnetic field to said structure.

12. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic field is formed by applying a current in a range of 100 A to 1,000 A.

13. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic field is formed by applying a current at a frequency in a range of 100 kHz to 1,000 kHz.

14. The method for manufacturing a metal foam according to claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic field is applied for a time in a range of 1 minute to 10 hours.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0040] FIGS. 1 and 2 are SEM photographs of metal foams formed in Examples 1 and 2, respectively.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0041] Hereinafter, the present application will be described in detail by way of examples and comparative examples, but the scope of the present application is not limited to the following examples.

Example 1

[0042] Nickel powder (having a conductivity of about 14.5 MS/m, a relative magnetic permeability of about 600 or so, and an average particle diameter of about 10 to 20 m or so) and ethyl cellulose were added in a weight ratio of about 1:1 to methylene chloride and mixed using a planetary mixer to prepare a slurry. The prepared mixture was coated on a quartz plate to a thickness of about 200 m or so to produce a structure, and the structure was sintered by applying an electromagnetic field thereto with a coil-type induction heater to manufacture a metal foam. At this time, the electromagnetic field was formed by applying a current of about 350 A at a frequency of about 380 kHz, and the application time was about 3 minutes or so. The manufactured metal foam had a porosity of about 65%, and a SEM photograph thereof was shown in FIG. 1.

Example 2

[0043] A metal foam was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that polyethylene carbonate was used instead of ethyl cellulose. The manufactured metal foam had a porosity of about 45%, and a SEM photograph thereof was shown in FIG. 2.

Example 3

[0044] A metal foam was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that polyvinyl alcohol was applied instead of ethyl cellulose and water was applied instead of methylene chloride. The manufactured metal foam had a porosity of about 52%.

Example 4

[0045] A metal foam was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that polyethylene oxide was used instead of ethyl cellulose. The manufactured metal foam had a porosity of about 57%.