Fabrication of Novel Porous Thin Plates by Rolling and Vacuum Sintering for Aerostatic Bearings

To develop a new porous metal for aerostatic bearing, herein, novel porous thin plates (PTPs) with micron-scale porous structures are fabricated. The pore size distribution and air permeability of PTPs are measured. A tensile test is carried out and the fractography is observed. The load capacity and stiffness of aerostatic bearings utilizing PTPs as porous restrictors are tested. The results show that the phenomenon of the uneven distribution of powders can be significantly improved by decreasing the roller speed. Fine powder porous thin plates (FPTPs) effectively balance permeability and mechanical properties, achieving an ultimate tensile strength of 157 MPa while maintaining favorable permeability, significantly exceeding existing porous restrictors. Aerostatic bearings employing PTPs as restrictors demonstrate substantial load capacity and stiffness. Notably, aerostatic bearings utilizing coarse powder porous thin plates (CPTPs) as restrictors deliver 511 N load capacity and 22 N/μm stiffness with a considerably smaller porous restrictor area. It is worth noting that the novel PTPs not only exhibit a straightforward and environmentally friendly manufacturing process but also preserve the micron-scale porous structure while meeting the practical requirements of aerostatic bearings, holding significant promise for gas lubrication applications.