Porous humidity-control tile and method for manufacturing the same

1. A porous humidity-control tile comprising a moisture controllable matrix structure having a double pore structure formed by nano pores and a plurality of cellular spherical pores, wherein the cellular spherical pores have a size corresponding to a size of hollow microspheres of a pore forming material that is removed by heat treatment, wherein each of the hollow microspheres has an inner diameter in a range of from about 5 μm to about 200 μm.

2. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix structure comprises:

about 40% to about 95% by weight of diatomite; and

one or more of ochre, red clay, kaolin, zeolite, illite, vermiculite, feldspar, pottery stone, and pyrophyllite.

3. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 2 , wherein the pore forming material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polymethylmethacrylate, poly(methylmethacrylate-co-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate), and polymethylmethacrylate-ethyleneglycol coploymer.

4. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 3 , wherein the spherical pores have a density of about 10 7 pores/cm 3 .

5. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix structure comprises about 10 vol % to about 80 vol % of the spherical pores.

6. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 5 , wherein the pore forming material is provided in the form of hollow spheres having an inner diameter of about 5 μm to about 200 μm.

7. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 1 , wherein the pore forming material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polymethylmethacrylate, poly(methylmethacrylate-co-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate), and polymethylmethacrylate-ethyleneglycol coploymer.

8. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 7 , wherein the spherical pores have a density of about 10 7 pores/cm 3 .

9. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment is performed at about 700° C. to about 900° C. for about 0.5 hours to 6 hours.

10. The porous humidity-control tile according to claim 1 , wherein the porous humidity-control tile has a rate of moisture adsorption/desorption per unit weight in a range from about 20 g/kg to about 60 g/kg and a rate of moisture adsorption/adsorption per unit area in a range from about 150 g/m 2 to about 450 g/m 2 .

11. A method for manufacturing a porous humidity-control tile, the method comprising:

mixing and pulverizing raw-material powder;

supplying moisture to the pulverized powder to form a slurry;

mixing the slurry with hollow microspheres used as a pore forming material, wherein each of the hollow microspheres has an inner diameter in a range of from about 5 μm to about 200 μm;,

de-airing the slurry mixed with the pore forming material;

shaping the de-aired slurry to obtain a half-finished product;

drying the half-finished product; and

firing the dried half-finished product in a kiln to obtain the porous humid-control tile, wherein the porous humidity-control tile comprises a moisture controllable matrix structure having a double pore structure formed by nano pores and a plurality of cellular spherical pores, wherein the cellular spherical pores have a size corresponding to a size of the hollow microspheres, and wherein the hollow microspheres are removed during the firing of the dried half-finished product in the kiln.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the raw-material comprises:

about 40% to about 95% by weight of diatomite; and

one or more of ochre, red clay, kaolin, zeolite, illite, vermiculite, feldspar, pottery stone, and pyrophyllite.