| abstract |
A process for producing a porous sintered metal, in which the pore diameter distribution of porous sintered metal can be easily controlled. There is provided a process comprising the steps of forming a molding containing a metal powder, a pore forming material and a binder resin, heating the molding at the decomposition temperature of the pore forming material to thereby effect a thermal decomposition thereof and sintering the molding at a sintering temperature higher than the decomposition temperature, wherein as the pore forming material, use is made of particles of polyhydroxyalkanoate produced in microbial cells. The above molding may beprovided by applying through coating or printing to a base material a metal powder dispersion containing a metal powder, a pore forming material, a binder resin and a solvent so as to form a coated material or printed material and detaching the base material from the coated material or printed material. |