Method for producing metal foams and furnace for producing same
OwnerMarc Kuhn, Damien Duncaninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for producing a metal structure comprising the following steps: providing a metal-coated polymer substrate; heating the metal-coated polymer substrate in a hot zone, in which a temperature of at least 600° C. prevails and in which an atmosphere essentially composed of water vapor or of a mixture of water vapor and neutral gas is maintained, so as to remove the polymer substrate and form a metal structure; and cooling the metal structure in a cooling zone.
Claims26
A method for producing a metal structure comprising the following steps:
- providing a metal-coated polymer substrate;
- heating the metal-coated polymer substrate in a hot zone, in which a temperature of at least 600° C. prevails and in which an atmosphere composed of at least 80 vol. % of water vapor is maintained, so as to remove the polymer substrate and form a metal structure;
- and
- cooling the metal structure in a cooling zone.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is continuously guided through the hot zone and through the cooling zone.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is made to slide on a sliding surface in the hot zone and in the cooling zone.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate, respectively the metal structure, is guided through the hot zone and the cooling zone on conveying means.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal-coated polymer substrate is in coiled form.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal of the metal-coated polymer substrate is chosen among the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, chromium, zinc, aluminum, lead, tin, gold, platinum or other metals belonging to the platinum group, and their alloys.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hot zone and the cooling zone are configured in such a way as to allow at least part of the gases contained in the cooling zone to flow to the hot zone.
The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said polymer substrate is made from a material selected from the goup comprising reticulated open cell foam structures, closed cell foam structures, felt, woven or non-woven structures or similar structures, and their combinations.
A furnace for producing a metal structure from a metal-coated polymer substrate comprising:
- a hot zone,
- a cooling zone, adjacent to the hot zone;
- a surface extending through the hot zone and the cooling zone for moving the metal-coated polymer substrate respectively the metal structure through the hot zone and the cooling zone
- wherein the hot zone comprises heating means to heat the hot zone to a temperature of at least 600° C., injecting means to inject water vapor into the hot zone in such a way as to maintain a water vapor concentration of at least 80 vol. %, and extraction means to extract gas from the hot zone;
- and
- wherein the cooling zone comprises injecting means to inject neutral and/or reducing gases into the cooling zone, and wherein at least part of the gases contained in the cooling zone are transferred to the hot zone and extracted form the hot zone through the extracting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.