Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne

Andreas Mortensen

Yves Bellouard

Raphaël Charvet

Russell Goodall

Cyril Dénéréaz

A method including the steps of exposing a substrate to focused laser irradiation at a preselected series of locations that trace a subset of the substrate volume that is connected to the surface of the substrate, removing the substrate material from the exposed preselected series of locations to create within the substrate at least one cavity that is connected to the surface of the substrate, immersing the cavity-containing substrate in an appropriate atmosphere such as a selected gas or vacuum and, within this atmosphere, contacting the substrate surface with the molten castable material surface at locations where the cavity or cavities emerges from the substrate, applying pressure to the castable material to cause it to infiltrate the substrate cavities, and solidifying the castable material within the cavities.

Small-scale metal castings, small-scale metal/transparent composite structures, and process to produce the same

A metal article containing at least 10% interconnected porosity is produced by using a preform. To make the preform, an organic binder, a wetting agent and a granular material are mixed to obtain a mouldable paste that combines 10 vol. pct. or more of the granular material, this material dissolving easily in a liquid solvent. The paste is shaped into an aerated preform, thus creating an open pore space to be infiltrated by the metal or alloy. The wetting agent is evaporated and the preform is baked to a temperature sufficient to degrade the binder and create a network of interconnected open porosity in the preform. Then, the open pore space is filled with the liquid metal or alloy. All or part of the baked preform can be easily leached by a liquid solvent through the network of fine pores.

Growing community of inventors

Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges, Switzerland

Andreas Mortensen