Abstract
The present work investigates the compressive property of Al matrix composite foams at different temperatures between room temperature and 200 °C. Elevated temperature results in a decreased compressive strength and energy absorption capacity of as-received Al foams. Therefore, to maintain the compressive property, the Al2O3 ceramic coating was deposited on the Al struts of the foams by the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process to form Al2O3/Al composite foams. As a consequence, the composite foams exhibit a higher compressive strength and energy absorption capacity as compared with the as-received Al foams at both room temperature and elevated temperatures because of the reinforced effect of the Al2O3 ceramic on the foam strut. The related mechanisms were explained by fractography, microstructure observation and phase composition analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
Highlights
Open-cell Al foams are viewed as an attractive material due to their positive mechanical properties and functional performances, such as low density, high specific strength, excellent energy absorption, sound absorption and damping capacities [1,2]
It can be seen that the foams lost their metallic luster, the composite foams still kept their original macro architecture the foams lost their metallic luster, the composite foams still kept their original macro after they underwent intense electrospark and successive micro-arc discharge during plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treatment
A γ-Al2 O3 ceramic coating was deposited on the surface of open-cell Al foams foams by applying PEO technology
Summary
Open-cell Al foams are viewed as an attractive material due to their positive mechanical properties and functional performances, such as low density, high specific strength, excellent energy absorption, sound absorption and damping capacities [1,2]. The compressive property is an important performance to evaluate the energy absorption capacity of Al foams under different conditions. Previous investigations have revealed that the compressive strength at high temperature is reduced due to the softening effect on the metal matrix [6,7,8]. The high temperature can cause a change in the compressive deformation behavior. It was reported that under elevated temperature conditions, the deformation of the foams mainly results from the plastic bending of the cell wall, but under room temperature conditions, the deformation of the foams is controlled by buckling and tearing [7]
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