Preparation, characterisation, physical, and compression testing of sucrose based closed-cell aluminium foam

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aluminium foam can be used as a porous and lightweight material having comparatively high impact energy absorption. To reduce the death rate caused by collisions of vehicles, there is a need of analysing the crash-worthiness properties of materials. In this present work, the Aluminium foam was prepared using the powder metallurgy method for the crash-worthiness analysis. The Al6061 powder as a matrix material having particle sizes ranging from 5 to 30 µm and Sucrose particles as a space-holding material were mixed. The compaction process was done up to a pressure of 450 MPa to make the green compact and was further subjected to sintering up to a temperature of 500 °C for 1 hour resulting into the Aluminium foam. The compressive strength significantly decreased by 26.56%, 51.39%, 72.49%, and 64.34% approximately while volume fractions of sucrose particles varied as 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. On the other hand, the measured maximum porosity was found as 51.8% approximately in the Aluminium foam corresponding to the addition of 50% sucrose particles by volume. Out of all the examined samples, the foam developed by containing 20% (vol.) sucrose has exhibited the maximum strain energy absorption, specific energy absorption (SEA), and crushing force efficiency (CFE).