Thermal conductivity, permeability and mechanical properties of sintered stainless steel foams

Abstract

The present study investigates the thermal conductivity, permeability and mechanical properties of sintered stainless steel foams for different applications. Stainless steel foams were produced using fine prealloyed precipitation-hardened stainless steel powder with a water-soluble pore former of nearly 100-fold larger size. Structural foams with porosities from 40 to 60 volume percent resulted from extraction of the pore former prior to high temperature sintering. Thermal and mechanical property changes were observed by different analyses methods. In results, with increases porosity amount, thermal conductivity, permeability and mechanical properties of specimens change.