Fabrication, properties, and applications of open-cell aluminum foams: A review

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2020.05.039

Abstract

Abstract:

Open-cell metallic foams or porous metals have a distinctive combination of excellent structural performance and superior functional characteristics, such as their light weight, energy absorption, sound absorption, heat dissipation, and electromagnetic shielding. As a primary representative of metallic foams, aluminum foam has developed into a new engineering material with many unique applications in the fields of aerospace, automotive industry, petrochemical industry, building materials, and etc. This paper summarizes the fabrication methods, properties, and applications of open-cell aluminum foams. The current status and development trends are also introduced.

Key words: Open-cell aluminum foam, Fabrication method, Property, Application

Tan Wan, Yuan Liu, Canxu Zhou, Xiang Chen, Yanxiang Li. Fabrication, properties, and applications of open-cell aluminum foams: A review[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 62: 11-24.

Figures/Tables 21

Fig. 1. (a) Typical polymer sponge, (b) Schematic of investment casting to produce open-cell aluminum foams [14].

Fig. 2. Schematic of electro-deposition technique to produce open-cell foams [14].

Fig. 3. Typical CaCl2 granules (a), typical NaCl granules (b), schematic of infiltrating process (c) to produce open-cell aluminum foams [14].

Fig. 4. (a) Typical sucrose granules, (b) Typical urea granules, (c) Schematic of sintering-dissolution process for manufacturing open-cell aluminum foams [58].

Fig. 5. (a) and (b) CAD models of unit cell and lattice structure, (c) final periodic cellular lattice structure of aluminum foam [67].

Fig. 6. Schematic of additive manufacturing route to make open-cell aluminum foams [71].

Fig. 7. Open-pore AlZn11 foams with a pore density of 10 ppi (a) for untreated conditions, (b) after thickening treatment [74].

Fig. 8. (a) Soft ceramic balls after closed packing, (b) final aluminum foam [42].

Fig. 9. SEM images of aluminum foams manufactured by infiltration using preforms of 75 μm NaCl particles, Vf represents the density of the replicated Al foam: (a) unsintered (Vf = 0.4), and sintered at 755 °C for 2 h (Vf = 0.37) (b), 9 h (Vf = 0.32) (c) and 25 h (Vf = 0.25) (d) [43].

Fig. 10. SEM images of aluminum foams with spherical pores of mean diameter 400 μm with volume fractions solid, Vs: (a) 0.31, (b) 0.25 [82].

Fig. 11. Influence of infiltration pressure on density Vs (●) of aluminum foam. The porosity of the respective preform Vp is also indicated (○). All preforms were fabricated with a primitive porosity close to 25 % [39].

Fig. 12. (a) Compressive stress-strain curves of aluminum foams with various porosities (b) reliance of yield stress on relative density of the aluminum foam (c) Compressive stress-strain curves of aluminum foams with various pore sizes [60].

Fig. 13. Effect of cell size on compressive mechanical properties of aluminum foams with porosities of 65 % [33].

Fig. 14. Relationship between effective thermal conductivity and porosity (Ks = 205 W (m K)-1, 33 °C) [13].

Fig. 15. Predicted effective thermal conductivity by theoretical model versus porosity [13].

Fig. 16. Electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of an open-cell aluminum foam: Comparison between experimental measurements and analytical data [38].

Fig. 17. Debris cloud evolution to apply open-cell aluminum foam of 10 ppi and 40 mm thickness [116].

Fig. 18. Energy absorber formed with open-cell aluminum foams [117].

Fig. 19. Applications of open-cell aluminum foams manufactured by ERG (a)-(c) heat exchangers, (d) EMI shielding, (e) fluid control baffle, (f) cryogenic tank [117].

Fig. 20. Application of open-cell aluminum foams fabricated by Exxentis (a)-(b) vacuum-forming molds, (c) heat exchanger, (d)-(e) pneumatic silencers, (f) weapon silencer [118].

Fig. 21. Application of open-cell aluminum foams as sound barriers [119].

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