Characteristics of Porous Aluminium Materials Produced by Pressing Sodium Chloride into Their Melts.

Iva Nová,Karel Fraňa,David Koreček,Jiří Sobotka,Pavel Solfronk,Martin Švec

doi:10.3390/ma14174809

Abstract

The paper deals with research related to the production of metal cellular aluminium systems, in which production is based on the application of sodium chloride particles. In this paper, the properties of porous aluminium materials that were produced by an unconventional method—by pressing salt particles into the melt of aluminium alloy—are described. The new methodology was developed and verified for the production of these materials. The main feature of this methodology is a hydraulic forming press and a simple-shaped foundry mould. For these purposes, four different groups of sodium chloride particle sizes (1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 mm) were applied. The preferred aluminium foundry alloy (AlSi12) was used to produce the porous aluminium samples. Based upon this developed methodology, samples of porous aluminium materials were produced and analysed. Their weight and volume were monitored, their density and relative density were calculated, and their porosity was determined. In addition, the porosity of samples and continuity of their air cells were monitored as well. An industrial computed tomograph and a scanning electron microscope were applied for these purposes.

Highlights

Within the metallurgical industry, there is a constant focus on the production of cellular metal materials
We focus on porous aluminium materials—sometimes described as structures with closed or opened porosity
The experimental production of porous Aluminium materials, following our first publication [27] and [29] further experiments, was carried out to obtain porous aluminium materials based on the knowledge of sodium chloride behaviour at high temperatures

Summary

Introduction

There is a constant focus on the production of cellular (lightweight) metal materials. There are efforts to make the production of these materials more environmentally friendly. It is clear from the research published in [4] that there is currently such an interest in the production of cellular metals and the evaluation of their properties and that there are already about 400 researchers who publish facts about these materials. Metallic cellular systems (porous metals and foaming metals) are lightweight metallic materials, which contain intentionally formed pores in their structure. We focus on porous aluminium materials—sometimes described as structures with closed or opened porosity

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion