Präparation von Metallschaum / Preparation of Metal Foam

Abstract

Increasingly, light materials are being used in the automobile industry, machine construction and process technology, and metal foam is one of the most futuristic of these materials. In order to determine the behaviour and working properties of metal foams, a series of investigations were carried out involving the loading of aluminium foam in tension, compression and bending. The effect which these various different types of loading have on the pore structure is revealed by metallographically preparing the aluminium foam specimens. This article is intended to give an overview of the particular techniques involved in the preparation of aluminium foam. The methods used and experience gained in the vacuum mounting, grinding and polishing of this material are described. Examples of prepared samples of compression specimens serve to illustrate the pore structure of this type of material and the degree of deformation which occurs.