Titanium powder sintered compact

Abstract

Provided are a porous sintered compact suitable for a filter, a power feeder in a polymer electrolyte membrane type water electrolyzer, a current collector in a solid polymer fuel cell and in addition a liquid dispersion plate, especially an ink dispersion plate for an ink jet printer ink and the like. A titanium powder sintered compact made of a plate-like porous compact is obtained by sintering spherical powder made of titanium or a titanium alloy produced by means of a gas atomization method. A void ratio in the range of from 35 to 55% is realized by filling without applying a pressure and sintering without applying a pressure.

1 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A method of making a porous conductive plate used as a power feeder in a polymer electrolyte membrane type water electrolyzer or as a current collector in a solid polymer fuel cell, comprising: 
 providing spherical gas atomized titanium powder particles;    forming the spherical gas atomized titanium powder particles into a plate-like porous compact; and    sintering the porous compact to obtain the porous conductive plate.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the forming of the compact is carried out without using a binder  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein he porous compact has a void ratio in the range of from 35 to 55%.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the forming further comprises filling a mold with the spherical gas atomized titanium without applying a pressure and the sintering is carried out without applying a pressure.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spherical gas atomized titanium powder has an average particle diameter in the range of from 10 to 150 μm.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the forming further comprises filling a mold with the spherical gas atomized titanium without applying a pressure and the sintering is carried out without applying a pressure.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the spherical gas atomized titanium powder has an average particle diameter in the range of from 10 to 150 μm.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the sintering is carried out at a temperature from 650° C. to 1200° C.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sintering is carried out at a temperature from 650° C. to 1200° C.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising screening the provided spherical gas atomized titanium powder prior to the forming.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising screening the provided spherical gas atomized titanium powder prior to the forming.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the forming is carried to produce a porous compact having a thickness of 500 μm or less.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the forming is carried to produce a porous compact having a thickness of 500 μm or less.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the forming is carried to produce a porous compact having a thickness of 100 μm or less.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the forming is carried to produce a porous compact having a thickness of 100 μm or less.