The properties of Stainless Steel Sintered filtering cloth can be enhanced by a process that is loosely referred to as "sintering", which depends on molecular diffusion bonding. It is also possible to laminate multiple layers of wire cloth together using the same method to produce a variety of and very useful permeable materials, which are still not well known in the engineering world. Sintered wire mesh laminates can be designed to have a variety of desired mechanical properties, pore size and controlled permeability, and methods have been found in many different applications. This paper discusses sintering processes, wire mesh and sintered wire laminates, including discussion of applications, fabrication of these materials, and technical and metallurgical considerations.
What is sintered?
Sintering can be defined as the thermal process that induces diffusion bonds. The sintering process bonds the tangential metal surfaces together at their point of contact without adding any filler metal or binder. Suitable high temperature and isostatic pressing environments occur through a combination of various mechanisms including surface and volume molecular diffusion, evaporation and recondensation, grain growth and recrystallization, deformation and plastic flow.
These mechanisms work together to create a strong fusion joint at each metal-to-metal contact during proper sintering. This method can be used to sinter metal powders, fibers, wires and fine meshes together to produce a variety of materials, and to laminate these materials onto coarser support structures, such as porous plates, solid or photoetched metal foils, Metal mesh or heavy duty wire mesh. This article will focus primarily on the types of structures that result from sintering a multilayer woven wire mesh together to create a unitary bonded laminate.
It is important that in almost all cases, the solidus (melting point) of the alloy is not exceeded during the sintering process and initial melting is not allowed. Thus, for example, in the Federal Code SE-F-0044 (filter, wire cloth type, space shuttle program), sintering is defined as "the process by which the braided wire partially melts to cause adhesion..." is complete Incorrect.
