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I have a question about the capabilities available in Birck. I am currently working with a facility outside of Purdue to fire a porous coating applied to a large (1 inch x 1 inch by 1.5 inches) copper block. The coating is not sintered in the traditional sense, but consists of silver-coated copper particles that adhere to the copper substrate at a firing temperature of 850 C. The facility is currently firing the part under a relatively high vacuum <0.1 mTorr, but the copper block and porous layer is becoming brown and oxidized. From talking with the manufacturer of the porous coating, firing in a reducing atmosphere can cleans the copper of oxide and result in superior adhesion and a clean looking final part.

Is it possible to fire this part in a reducing atmosphere in a furnace in Birck? If so, with whom might I discuss this further?

Thank you for your help,
Matthew Rau