FILTER ELEMENT WITH A DIMENSIONALLY STABLE, PERMEABLE AND POROUS PLASTIC MOLDED BODY

PCT No. PCT/EP93/00803 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 7, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 7, 1995 PCT Filed Apr. 1, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO93/19832 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 14, 1993A filter element for separating solid particles from a fluid medium. The filter element comprises a permeably porous, substantially inherently stable shaped body made substantially of polyethylene. The polyethylene is made from polyethylene grains combined and heated to form the shaped body. The polyethylene grains comprisean ultrahigh molecular polyethylene component including fine grains and having an average molecular weight of more than 106. The polyethylene component further has, in an initial state before heating, a grain size distribution of at least 95% by weight of fine grains being larger than 63 microns and less than or equal to 250 microns. In addition, the polyethylene grains comprise a further polyethylene component including fine grains in an initial state before heating, and which has an average molecular weight of less than 106. The fine grains of the further polyethylene component are adapted to be combined and heated with the fine grains of the polyethylene component for forming the shaped body. The filter element further includes a fine pored coating of a fine grained material disposed on the afflux surface of the shaped body for filling at least a considerable depth of surface pores present on the afflux surface, the coating having an average grain size less than an average grain size of the shaped body.