Patent ID: 6977095

Claim:
A process for producing a rigid reticulated article, comprising: (a) providing a first dispersion of a ceramic or metal powder, a binder, and a solvent; (b) providing a reticulated substrate which has open, interconnected porosity; (c) contacting the reticulated substrate with the first dispersion to coat the substrate with the dispersion to form a first coating; (d) drying the coated reticulated substrate; (e) contacting the coated reticulated substrate with one or more additional dispersions of a ceramic or metal powder, a binder, and a solvent, in succession, to form one or more additional coatings wherein each additional dispersion has a viscosity less than the viscosity of all preceding dispersions; (f) drying the one or more additional coatings between the steps of contacting; (g) heating the coated reticulated substrate at a time and temperature sufficient to pyrolyze any organic components; and (h) sintering the coated reticulated substrate to form a ceramic or metal or composite reticulated article.