Abstract:
The objective of this work is to study the structure, mechanical properties, biological properties and permeability of open-cell Ag foams through the replication process in which NaCl was employed as space-holder. The Ag powder was synthesized through glycerol process. The Ag foams were produced by mixing the Ag powders with NaCl of various particle contents and sizes, followed by sintering at 750℃ for 3 h in air. The compression tests were performed with the 11 mm diameter cylindrical samples at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min to 60% strain. It was found that the Ag foams had interconnected open-cell porosity with pore size and morphology similar to that of the NaCl particles. Homogeneity and interconnected porosity of foam structure decrease when larger NaCl particles of equivalent volume content were used. The compressive properties of the foams using lower NaCl contents, of equivalent pore size, are higher than that of the foams with higher NaCl contents. It was also found that antimicrobial ability of Ag foams, after 15 min of incubation, is more effective on E.coli than S.aureus. In all cases, when the foam porosity increases, the growth inhibition of both E.coli and S.aureus increases, due to increasing contact area. The permeability of Ag foams increases when larger NaCl particles, as well as higher particle contents, were employed.