Compressive properties of AlSi10Mg foams additively manufactured with different foaming agents TiH2 and ZrH2

Abstract

This study investigates the compressive properties of AlSi10Mg foams additively manufactured with different foaming agents: TiH2 and ZrH2. The results of the compression test confirm that compressive energy is absorbed by the collapse of the porous structure, the pores disappear, and the AlSi10Mg foam becomes densified. The pores inside the AlSi10Mg foam result in a decreased yield strength; however, the Young's modulus is increased owing to the intermetallic compound and residual particles inside the foam. AlSi10Mg foamed with TiH2 (as-foamed (TiH2)) has a low maximum compressive stress, which increases the densification strain but decreases the specific energy absorption. In contrast, AlSi10Mg foamed with ZrH2 (as-foamed (ZrH2)) exhibits the highest specific energy absorption. The high wettability of the Al/Zr system causes the intermetallic compound to be uniformly dispersed. Thus, the product foamed with ZrH2 exhibits higher compressive properties than that foamed with TiH2. This confirms that in fabrication of AlSi10Mg foams, TiH2 and ZrH2 produce different foaming characteristics, compressive properties, and intermetallic compound distributions.