Search

Porous copper of controllable and uniform pore distribution was produced by a space holder technique, yielding to an attractive combination of properties like high surface area, ductility and thermal conductivity, rendering favourable its use in industrial applications such as filters, fuel cells and heat exchangers. The pore characteristics (size, shape and porosity) defining the surface area, as well as the surface integrity of the cells were defined by micro computed tomography and profilometry. The mechanical properties of porous copper was determined by uniaxial compression, while their high efficiency in purifying water were correlated with porosity (wetting surface) characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Moderate toughness and poor biological features of ceramics may hinder their application as modern bio-active implants. The paper presents a new, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and simple production method of open-cell calcium phosphate (CP) ceramic foams, by employing powders’ compaction, dissolution and sintering, aiming at producing highly bio-active 3D surface scaffolds. The process parameters were properly adjusted to optimize the quality and structure of CP foams, and samples with various porosity (60–75vol%) and pore size (0.28–0.50mm) were fabricated, characterized and mechanically tested. Cell viability, adhesion and proliferation investigations revealed an excellent potential for application in bone tissue engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]