OPEN PORE CELL COPPER FOAM AND A METAL INJECTION MOLDING METHOD TO PRODUCE THE SAME

There is disclosed a method of producing an open pore cell copper foam (1) via metal injection molding (MIM) and the use of the formed open pore cell copper as heat sink, filter, noise and vibration absorbing material or the likes. The open pore cell copper foam is formed using metal injection molding method that utilizes space holder in the mixing of the metal powder and binder components, molding of feedstock, debinding, sintering and dissolution of the space holder. The binder is a biopolymer which specifically includes palm stearin and waste rubber whereas the space holder is Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3). The method comprises the steps of mixing copper (Cu) powder, biopolymer binder that includes palm stearin and waste rubber, and Potassium Carbonate as space holder in a mixer to form a homogenous mixture (a); injecting the homogeneous mixture into a mold to form a molded body (b); removing the biopolymer binder from the molded body by de-binding process (c); sintering the molded body (d); and dissolving the Potassium Carbonate space holder in a warm water (e).