Ordered Structure Composite Metal Foams Produced by Casting

Abstract

In this investigation, composite metal foams were produced by casting aluminum around hollow ceramic spheres arranged in steel mesh structures. This study proposes that “cell arrangement” should be considered as an important parameter in controlling the mechanical properties of CMFs, which can be applied in energy absorber designs. Metal foams with two types of ordered arrangements and relatively similar densities are produced by a novel method and their mechanical properties are examined by compression tests. The results demonstrate that by altering the order of arrangements, the stress–strain performance of samples completely changes. This also results in distinctive brittle and ductile behaviors for the specimens and has significant effects on important factors such as “strength-to-density” and “energy absorption per unit volume” ratios. The interfaces/interphases formed between the components of the composite metal foams were verified by means of scanning electron microscopy method.