Patent ID: 8025838

Claim:
A process for producing a macroporous ceramic or metallic, free-standing object or coating, comprising the steps of: making a solid particle stabilised emulsion from a combination of at least two immiscible fluids, and solid ceramic or metallic particles, wherein said solid ceramic or metallic particles are selected from the group consisting of: titanium, copper, zinc, cobalt, magnesium, steel, stainless steel, titanium alloys, bronze, brass, Ti—V—Al alloys, Ti—V—Zr alloys, Ti—V—Zr—Nb alloys, Al—Cu alloys, Cr—V alloys, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , TiO 2 , HfO, MgO, ZnO, BaTiO 2 , SrTiO 3 , CaTiO 2 , CaO, Y 2 O, CeO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , FeO, NiO, TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , B 4 C, AlB 2 , HfB 2 , VB 2 , TaB 2 , CrB 2 , Mo 2 B 5 , W 2 B 5 , ZrN, TiN, Si 3 N 4 , HfN, NbN, VN, TaN, AlN, BN, SiAlON, SiC, TiC, ZrC, HfC, VC, NbC, CaC, Cr 3 C 2 , Mo 2 C, WC, V 2 C, Nb 2 C, Ta 2 C, fluorides, borosilicate glass, potassium borosilicate, Li 2 Si 2 O 5 , oxyfluoride glass ceramics, calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, LaPO 4 , CePO 4 and combinations thereof, and wherein said solid ceramic or metallic particles form a layer onto or are densely packed at the interface of said at least two immiscible fluids, colloidal processing of solid particle stabilised emulsion to form a ceramic or metallic green body or coating, and directly sintering said ceramic or metallic green body or coating without a de-binding step.