Method for Preparing Porous Metal Material and Application Thereof

Abstract

A method for preparing a porous metal material comprises: in a vacuum environment, volatilizing one or more volatile alloy elements in an alloy, so as to finally form a porous pure metal or a porous alloy. The process method can be widely applied in the fields such as aeronautics and astronautics, atomic energy, electrochemistry, petrochemical industry, metallurgy, machinery, medicines, environmental protection or construction.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a porous metal material, comprising: volatilizing one or more volatile alloy elements in the alloy in a vacuum environment, so as to finally form a porous pure metal or a porous alloy, wherein the alloy has at least one pore-forming element, wherein the pore-forming element has a higher vapor pressure relative to the basic element of the alloy, and the pore-forming element and the basic element can form the event alloy, solid solution or mixture prepared by powder metallurgy process.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the volatile alloy element of the alloy is volatilized at a temperature less than the melting point of the alloy and in a continual vacuum environment.

3. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the alloy is a commercially available or self-manufactured alloy and the alloy is placed under a temperature no more than the melting point thereof and in a continual vacuum environment to volatilize gradually the volatile alloying element from the alloy, wherein the vacuum degree of the vacuum environment is maintain within 10 Pa, so as to finally form a porous pure metal or alloy, wherein the vapor pressure of the volatile alloying element of the alloy is at least three orders of magnitude higher than the basic alloying element of the alloy.

4. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the atomic percentage of the volatile alloy element in the alloy is control to 20%80%.

5. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the alloy is controlled to have a thickness of 0.005 mm1000 mm, wherein the alloy is placed under a temperature range 200 C.1200 C. and a vacuum degree of no more than 10 Pa, wherein the alloy is kept warm for no less than 0.1 hour according to the thickness thereof to volatilize gradually the volatile alloying element.

6. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the alloy is ferrous alloy, nickel base alloy, titanium alloy, cobalt-base alloy or copper alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; or the alloy is noble metal alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the noble metal alloy, wherein the noble metal alloy selects gold, platinum, rhodium, palladium or iridium as the based element of the noble metal alloy; or the alloy is aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy, and at least one of zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, bismuth, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus and sodium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; wherein the alloy is prepared by smelting or metallurgy method, and the alloy is polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof, before it is used, be polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof.

7. The method, as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the process temperature is no lower than the temperature when the vapor pressure of the volatile alloying element is no less than 0.1 Pa, and the process temperature is no higher than 85% of the melting point of the alloy.

8. A porous metal material prepared by the method as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the porous metal material has a pore size range 0.1 um20 um.

9. An application of the method as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the preparing method is adapted for being used in the field of aeronautics and astronautics, atomic energy, electrochemistry, petrochemical industry, metallurgy, machinery, medicines, optical, environmental protection and construction.

10. An application of the method as recited in claim 1, characterized in that: the porous metal alloy prepared by the method is adapted for being used for separation, filtration, catalysis, shock-absorbing, battery current collector, capacitor, energy absorption and shock reduction, optical thin-film, electromagnetic shielding, heat exchange and medical plastic.

11. The method, as recited in claim 2, characterized in that: the atomic percentage of the volatile alloy element in the alloy is control to 20%80%.

12. The method, as recited in claim 3, characterized in that: the atomic percentage of the volatile alloy element in the alloy is control to 20%80%.

13. The method, as recited in claim 2, characterized in that: the alloy is controlled to have a thickness of 0.005 mm1000 mm, wherein the alloy is placed under a temperature range 200 C.1200 C. and a vacuum degree of no more than 10 Pa, wherein the alloy is kept warm for no less than 0.1 hour according to the thickness thereof to volatilize gradually the volatile alloying element.

14. The method, as recited in claim 3, characterized in that: the alloy is controlled to have a thickness of 0.005 mm1000 mm, wherein the alloy is placed under a temperature range 200 C.1200 C. and a vacuum degree of no more than 10 Pa, wherein the alloy is kept warm for no less than 0.1 hour according to the thickness thereof to volatilize gradually the volatile alloying element.

15. The method, as recited in claim 2, characterized in that: the alloy is ferrous alloy, nickel base alloy, titanium alloy, cobalt-base alloy or copper alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; or the alloy is noble metal alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the noble metal alloy, wherein the noble metal alloy selects gold, platinum, rhodium, palladium or iridium as the based element of the noble metal alloy; or the alloy is aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy, and at least one of zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, bismuth, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus and sodium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; wherein the alloy is prepared by smelting or metallurgy method, and the alloy is polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof, before it is used, be polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof.

16. The method, as recited in claim 3, characterized in that: the alloy is ferrous alloy, nickel base alloy, titanium alloy, cobalt-base alloy or copper alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; or the alloy is noble metal alloy, and at least one of manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, ytterbium, magnesium, calcium, thallium, barium, bismuth, potassium, lead, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and lithium is used as the pore-forming element of the noble metal alloy, wherein the noble metal alloy selects gold, platinum, rhodium, palladium or iridium as the based element of the noble metal alloy; or the alloy is aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy, and at least one of zinc, arsenic, cadmium, antimony, tellurium, selenium, strontium, bismuth, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus and sodium is used as the pore-forming element of the alloy; wherein the alloy is prepared by smelting or metallurgy method, and the alloy is polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof, before it is used, be polished to remove the surface oxide layer thereof.

17. The method, as recited in claim 2, characterized in that: the process temperature is no lower than the temperature when the vapor pressure of the volatile alloying element is no less than 0.1 Pa, and the process temperature is no higher than 85% of the melting point of the alloy.

18. The method, as recited in claim 3, characterized in that: the process temperature is no lower than the temperature when the vapor pressure of the volatile alloying element is no less than 0.1 Pa, and the process temperature is no higher than 85% of the melting point of the alloy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional porous pure copper material (2 um) according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a three-dimensional porous copper alloy material (5 um) according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a three-dimensional porous nickel alloy material (5 um) according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a three-dimensional porous stainless steel alloy material (10 um) according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a three-dimensional porous silicon alloy material (5 um) according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a three-dimensional porous pure copper powder (50 um) according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates a three-dimensional porous pure copper foil (5 um) according to an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 8 shows charge-discharge test results.

[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates a porous copper wire (20 um) according to a ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 10 illustrates a porous copper tube (5 um) according to a tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 11 illustrates a porous copper sheet (10 um) according to a comparative example of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0032] The following embodiments of the present invention will be only for illustrating the present invention and not intended to be limiting.

[0033] Unless specifically stated, any percentage of the embodiments of the present invention represents an atomic percentage.

Embodiment 1

[0034] Employing commercial available 62 brass, which is made into 20201 mm small pieces and the small pieces are suspended in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 600 C. for 3 hours in a gradual high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous copper pieces (as shown in FIG. 1), wherein the copper pieces have a pore size of 1 um3 um and a porosity of about 20%.

Embodiment 2

[0035] Employing commercial available 62 brass, which is made into 20201 mm small pieces and the small pieces are suspended in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 800 C. for 2 hours in a continual high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa. No three-dimensional porous copper piece is produced. The copper pieces are analyzed by energy spectrum and found that although zinc in brass is completely released, the samples have only a few pores in the surfaces of the samples. The reason is that the over-high processing temperature results in the diffusion and fusion of the pores formed in the surface of the brass, so a suitable processing temperature must be selected to prepare a corresponding porous metal alloy according different alloys.

Embodiment 3

[0036] Employing self-manufactured 40 silicon brass (60% zinc, 3% silicon), melting the prepared pure copper, pure zinc and pure silicon in a heat treatment furnace by utilizing a graphite crucible, in consideration of volatilization of zinc, additional 2% zinc content is specially added, pouring and forging to obtain a metal block, and then linear cutting the block into 10151 mm sheets, sanding them to have a thickness of 0.8 mm, and then suspending them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 500 C. for 1 hour, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous copper-silicon alloy (as shown in FIG. 2), wherein the copper-silicon alloy has a pore size of 1 um8 um and a porosity of about 40%.

Embodiment 4

[0037] Employing self-manufactured nickel-manganese alloy (70% manganese content), smelting in a vacuum induction furnace, wherein the raw materials are pure nickel and electrolytic manganese, the protective gas is argon gas, and in consideration of volatilization of manganese, the manganese content is 72%, the remaining ingredient is nickel, the actual measured content of manganese is 69.5%; pouring and linear cutting the ingot into 10151 mm sheets; sanding them to have a thickness of 0.8 mm, and then suspending them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 900 C. for 1 hour, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous pure nickel (as shown in FIG. 3), wherein the porous pure nickel sheets have a pore size of 2 um10 um and a porosity of about 40%.

Embodiment 5

[0038] Employing self-manufactured manganese 316 stainless steel alloy (50% manganese content); smelting the prepared 316 stainless steel and electrolytic manganese in a vacuum induction furnace, and in consideration of volatilization of manganese, the manganese content is 51%, the remaining ingredient is 316 stainless steel, the actual measured content of manganese is 50.5%; pouring and linear cutting the ingot into 10151 mm sheets; sanding them to have a thickness of 0.8 mm, and then suspending them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 1000 C. for 1 hour, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 5 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous stainless steel (as shown in FIG. 4), wherein the porous stainless steel sheets have a pore size of 2 um15 um and a porosity of about 50%.

Embodiment 6

[0039] Employing self-manufactured silicon manganese alloy (60% manganese content); smelting the prepared pure silicon and electrolytic manganese in a vacuum induction furnace, and in consideration of volatilization of manganese, the manganese content is 63%, the remaining ingredient is silicon, the actual measured content of manganese is 60.2%; pouring and linear cutting the ingot into 1051 mm sheets, and then suspending them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 900 C. for 2 hours in a high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous silicon (as shown in FIG. 5), wherein the porous silicon sheets have a pore size of 2 um10 um and a porosity of about 15%.

Embodiment 7

[0040] Employing commercial available 62 brass powders, wherein the brass powder has a size of 100 mesh; placing them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous pure copper powders, wherein the porous pure copper powders have a pore size of 2 um10 um, as shown in FIG. 6.

Embodiment 8

[0041] Employing commercial available 62 brass sheets having a thickness of 20 um; cutting them into 100100 mm sheets, and then placing them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 550 C. for 1 hour in a high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous pure copper sheets, wherein the porous copper sheets have a pore size of 2 um10 um (as shown in FIG. 7), and then utilizing the porous copper sheets as current collectors, and selecting LiCoO.sub.2 as positive electrode material, composite graphite as negative material, wherein the electrolyte employs commercial available electrolyte of 1 mol/L LiPF.sub.6/EC+DMC+EMC (1:1:1 mass ratio), pressing them into button cells in an argon atmosphere glove box, wherein the charge-discharge test results of the button cells are shown in FIG. 8.

Embodiment 9

[0042] Employing a commercial available 62 brass wire, placing it in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab, keeping them warm at 550 C. for 1 hour in a high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare three-dimensional porous pure copper wire, as shown in FIG. 9.

Embodiment 10

[0043] Employing a commercial available 62 brass tube, which has an external diameter of 2 mm and a wall thickness of 0.1 mm, placing it in a vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab, keeping them warm at 600 C. for 2 hours in a high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, to prepare a three-dimensional porous copper tube, as shown in FIG. 10.

Comparative Example

[0044] Employing commercial available 62 brass, making it into 20201 mm sheets, and then suspending them in a small vacuum heat treatment furnace used in lab; keeping them warm at 800 C. (temperature being on the high side, being higher than 85% of 930 C.) for 3 hours in a high vacuum environment, wherein the degree of vacuum is controlled within 10 Pa, wherein most of pores in the surfaces of the prepared copper sheets are closed, and there are a few of pores in the surfaces of the prepared copper sheets, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0045] The above embodiments are provided to illustrate the technical conception and features so as to enable any person skilled in the art to understand and implement the present invention, and not to limit the scope of the present invention. The equivalents and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be within the scope of the present invention.