Compressive Deformation Behavior of Highly Porous AA2014-Cenosphere Closed Cell Hybrid Foam Prepared Using CaH2 as Foaming Agent: Comparison with Aluminum Foam and Syntactic Foam

Abstract

Closed Cell AA2014-cenosphere hybrid foams have been prepared through stir-casting technique using varying amount of CaH2 powder as foaming agent. The cenospheres in hybrid foams created micro-pores in the cell wall and in the plateau region. It reduced the requirement of CaH2 for foaming by 30–40% by attaining equivalent level of relative density. These foams have been characterized for of microarchitechtural characteristics and mechanical properties like strength, densification strain and energy absorption. The properties of hybrid foams have been compared with those of conventional AA2014-SiC foam and Al-cenosphere syntactic foam. The closed cell AA2014-cenosphere hybrid foam exhibited comparable plateau stress, densification strain and energy absorption characteristics to those of AA2014-SiC foams with same relative density. Empirical relations to correlate plateau stress, densification strain and energy absorption for entire range of porosities have been established.