Isnt this Hoot's Dream block?
 

http://www.ltnt.ethz.ch/researchprojects.php?id=13

Linked from http://www.frostytech.com/

Hoots "I have a dream" block except aluminum instead of copper. man wouldnt that al foam disintegrate after a few weeks?

Yeah that seems to be the general concept IIRC.

Actually, fate has allowed me to cross paths with a source for a small (one blocks worth) amount of the copper equivalent to that stuff. It's taking "the slow boat from China" getting here. In the mean time I have to come up with a way to either bond it to a plate or plate up one face until its thick enough to lap flat. Both are daunting tasks as I'm told it melts quite easily when trying to silver solder it to a plate, not to mention the wicking issue. I'm told it loves sucking solders better than tinned braid. When it eventually arrives, I post a picture. Unfortunately, I am sworn to secrecy as to the source or I'd gladly put you on to it.

It is not my first choice as a media due to its low mass as opposed to sintered beads, but I had the opportunity to get some to play with and couldn't say no.

Hoot

interesting project Hoot

Im guessing laying out a very thin layer of AS epoxy on a copper/silver base then just putting the sintered copper on the epoxy would create a horrible contact in terms of thermal conductivity?

How much does this stuff compress? Is there no possibility of just pressing it on there slightly between two plates?

What about trying to mount it SMD style with a hot air bath with just the base tinned (very thin layer of course)?

How was it mounted to that aluminum block in the first link?