METHOD OF PRODUCING SINTERED BODIES OF METALLIC FIBER, AND METALLIC NONWOVEN FABRIC SINTERED SHEET

摘要

A method of producing sintered bodies of metallic fiber, including a preparatory compressing step for compressing a nonwoven fabric of metallic fiber between smooth pressing surfaces to smooth the surface prior to a heating and sintering step, and a metallic fiber nonwoven fabric sintered sheet having an overall thickness of less than 1 mm, including a main layer and at least one auxiliary layer laminated on the main layer and integrally sintered, wherein the main layer is made of metallic fiber 1 - 10 νm in thickness and has a void ratio of 80 % or above, while the auxiliary layer is made of metallic fiber not less than twice as thick as the metallic fiber of the main layer, the total thickness of the auxiliary layer being less than 2.5 times the thickness of the main layer, the overall void ratio of the main and auxiliary layers is between 75 % and 90 %. The present method is superior in operability and cost, and the present sheet has less pressure loss and sufficient mechanical strength, and establishes compatibility between reduction in the size of a filter for removing solid foreign matter and bubbles from a low-viscosity liquid and reduction in the filtration resistance.