Aluminum Foam Sandwich Research Articles

Experimental and numerical studies on corrosion-resistant aluminium foam sandwich panel subject to low-velocity impact

Aluminium foam sandwich panels (AFSPs) have a high impact resistance and are suitable for a wide range of engineering applications. To improve corrosion resistance, this paper proposes an anti-corrosion sandwich panel with stainless steel as the upper sheet. Drop hammer impact tests were performed on a total of ten AFSPs to investigate their dynamic response and failure patterns. To assess the deformation performance of AFSPs, a laser displacement meter was used to obtain the bottom centre displacement. The effects of the impact energy and the thickness of each component of AFSPs on the peak impact force and deformation performance were studied. Test results showed that the thickness of each component had notable effects on the impactor and bottom displacements. In addition, the effect of the unit mass of the components in AFSPs on decreasing the bottom displacement was discussed. Compared to increasing the aluminium foam and lower sheet thicknesses, increasing the upper sheet thickness was more effective in decreasing the bottom displacement. A finite element model of AFSPs was developed to conduct parameter analysis, indicating that impactors with larger diameters resulted in higher peak forces and reduced deformation of AFSPs.

Study on the Process of Preparing Aluminum Foam Sandwich Panel Precursor by Friction Stir Welding

In recent years, high-performance lightweight and multifunctional aluminum foam sandwiches (AFSs) can be successfully applied to spacecraft, automobiles, and high-speed trains. Friction stir welding (FSW) has been proposed as a new method for the preparation of AFS precursors in order to improve the cost-effectiveness and productivity of the preparation of AFS. In this study, the AFS precursors were prepared using the FSW process. The distribution of foaming agents in the AFS precursors and the structure and morphology of AFS were observed using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The effects of the temperature and material flow on the distribution of the foaming agent during the FSW process were analyzed through experimental study and numerical simulation using ANSYS Fluent 19.0 software. The results show that the uniform distribution of the foaming agent in the matrix and excellent densification of AFS precursor can be prepared when the rotation speed is 1500 r/min, the travel speed is 25 mm/min, the tool plunge depth is 0.2 mm, and the tool moves along the retreating side (RS). In addition, the experimental and numerical simulations show that increasing the welding temperature improves the uniformity of foaming agent distribution and the area of AFS precursor prepared by single welding, shortening the thread length inhibits the foaming agent from reaching the upper sandwich plate and moving along the RS leads to a more uniform distribution of the foaming agent. Finally, the AFS with porosity of 74.55%, roundness of 0.97, and average pore diameter of 1.192 mm is prepared.

Achieving metallurgical bonding in steel faceplate/aluminum foam sandwich via hot pressing and foaming processes: interfacial microstructure evolution and tensile behavior

This study introduces an innovative approach to fabricating aluminum foam sandwich with aluminized steel faceplates through metallurgical bonding. The process involves the use of foamable precursor, prepared via melt stirring, and subsequent hot pressing and foaming, offering a cost-effective and industrially feasible method for producing lightweight structural materials and connection of steel/aluminum dissimilar metals. This study focuses on exploring the changes in the microstructure of the bonding interface before and after foaming, and revealing the impact of these changes on the tensile results. Foaming experiment shows that foamable sandwiches have superior foaming ability, and the core layer density after foaming is between 0.283 and 0.591 g/cm ³. Microstructural characterization results demonstrate that, during the hot pressing process, fine equiaxed grains are observed on the iron side of the interface, indicating dynamic recrystallization occurred. The formation of a small amount of η-Al5Fe2 at the interface is a primary factor causing the deflection of the fracture path. Subsequently, during the foaming process, intermetallic compounds (IMCs) θ-Al13Fe4, τ5-Al7Fe2Si, and β-Al4.5FeSi formed sequentially, mainly determined by the diffusion reaction of silicon elements. The formation of these IMCs led to an increase in microhardness at the interface and a decrease in shear strength. Digital image correlation was utilized to examine strain distribution under tensile loading. The result indicates that the damage accumulation is characterized by the formation and expansion of strain bands, with failure manifested as the interconnection of these strain bands.

Aluminum foam sandwich interface enhanced at micro-scale

Aluminum foam sandwich interface enhanced at micro-scale

Dynamic Response of Gradient Aluminum Foam Sandwich Tubes under External Explosive Loads.

In this paper, we numerically investigate the dynamic response and explosion resistance of gradient aluminum foam sandwich tubes subjected to external blast loads. Based on 3D-Voronoi technology, we construct density-graded aluminum foam cores to systematically explore the influence of core density distribution, density gradient, and average relative density on the protective performance of these structures. Our primary objective is to identify optimal design parameters that maximize explosion mitigation capabilities while balancing energy absorption and specific energy absorption capacities. The research results show that a positive gradient core configuration exhibits superior anti-explosion performance, significantly outperforming its uniform and negatively graded counterparts, particularly when the gradient value is substantial. For the positive gradient cores, an increase in the gradient value leads to a corresponding enhancement in explosion resistance. Conversely, in negatively graded cores, a higher gradient value diminishes the anti-explosion performance. Furthermore, while augmenting the relative density of the core layer does improve the overall explosion resistance of the sandwich tube, it comes at the cost of reduced energy absorption and specific energy absorption capabilities, highlighting the need for a delicate balance among these competing factors.

Experimental and numerical investigations on impact response of reinforced concrete beams with a sandwich panel protective layer

This paper investigates the response of reinforced concrete beams protected by an aluminium foam sandwich panel under impact loadings. A series of impact tests were conducted on one reinforced concrete beam and five beams with a protective layer, focusing on their dynamic responses and failure patterns. Test parameters included the type of protective layers (unprotected, aluminium foam and sandwich panel) and impact energy. Test results showed that the aluminium foam and sandwich panel could effectively protect the reinforced concrete beam from severe damage under impact loadings and converted the failure pattern of beams from shear failure to flexure-shear failure. Compared with the unprotected beam, the beams with a protective layer exhibited a lower peak force and developed a smaller mid-span deformation. Besides, the protective effects of the aluminium foam and sandwich panel were found to be nearly the same. Moreover, the peak force, plateau force and deformation of the beams were increased with the increasing impact energy. A numerical model was developed to investigate the energy distribution of beams with a sandwich panel protective layer. Based on the validated model, the effects of longitudinal reinforcement ratio and shear-span ratio on the impact response of beams were further studied. It was found that the deformation of beams increased significantly with the increasing shear-span ratio, whereas an increase in the longitudinal reinforcement ratio led to a decreased deformation. This study provides an important reference for designing reinforced concrete beams with a sandwich panel protective layer to resist impact loads.

Ballistic resistance analysis of hard ceramic combined with aluminum foam sandwich constructions

A ballistic resistance of hard ceramic combined with aluminum foam sandwich (CAFS) constructions was investigated in this paper. This combination plate is constructed by a front faceplate (FFP), ceramic plates, an aluminum foam (Al-foam) panel, and a rear faceplate (RFP). The material used for the FFP and RFP was heat-treated mild steel with the thicknesses are 5 mm and 3.5 mm, respectively. The ceramic materials to be evaluated are B4C, SiC, and Al2O3. Al-foams were fabricated by varying the stabilizer weight ratio of MgO and Al2O3. The Al-foams have a porosity of 79.93%–82.57%, a pore diameter of 2.51–2.82 mm, the relative density of 0.17–0.24, and plateau stress of 3.88–6.63 MPa. Ballistic tests were carried out only for aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) construction without ceramics to evaluate the manufacturing effect and to obtain a baseline ballistic plate to be improved. Ballistic tests are conducted by using 5.56 × 45 mm bullet with 50 m shooting range and bullet speed of 929–958 m/s. To validate the damage mode and energy absorption capability of the AFS, a numerical model is constructed. The numerical studies were conducted to investigate the damage mode and energy absorption capabilities of each part. The simulation has a good agreement with the experiment result on the damage mode. This model then to be used to study the effect of the additional hard ceramic layer. An interaction between hard ceramic and AFS is also investigated to get a new insight of the energy absorption mechanism during bullet penetration. A new finding shows that ceramic presses the Al-foam to solidify so that it can increase the energy absorbed by the Al-foam. The ceramic is impacted by a bullet pushing the Al-foam so that it undergoes solidification which leads to increasing absorbed energy.

Study on the regulation mechanism of interfacial mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced aluminum foam sandwich interface

Carbon fiber (CF) is often used to enhance the interfacial properties of porous metal sandwich panel, however, the regulation mechanism on the mechanical properties of the reinforced interface is not clear, which affects its guidance in application. In this study, the regulation mechanism of CF on the mechanical properties of aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) interface was studied from the perspectives of morphology and chemistry. Results showed the effects of CF modification time, modification temperature and content on the interface properties were synergistic. The interfacial strength increased and decreased afterwards as the modification time or temperature or content increased. Fibers aggregation caused by excessive fiber addition could decrease the interface strength. Self-locking and fiber bridging were the dominant reinforced modes and their effects increased as appropriate addition content increased. Guided by the results, the shear strength of AFS interface increased by 79.18 %, the energy absorption increased by more than four times.

Preparation of interfacial metallurgically-bonded aluminum foam sandwich panels by graphite coating heat transfer technology

An innovative approach that utilizes a graphite coating treatment (GCT) on precursors of aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) panels was proposed to improve heat transfer efficiency during the powder metallurgical foaming process. The heating and expansion characteristics, effects on cell structures and bending performance of different heat transfer methods were studied. The results indicated that the heating rates of precursors increased by approximately two-fold after applying GCT, resulting in improvements in the expansion ratio, cell size uniformity, and panel surface morphology of the AFS. Furthermore, the later stage of foaming featured a more consistent heating rate, increasing cell roundness and reducing microporous defects within cell walls. These advancements consequently bolstered the bending strength and energy absorption properties of AFS. Notably, GCT technology holds great potential for the production of large-format AFS, as the heat transfer rate remains unaffected by panel size.

Microplasticity induced damping of aluminum foam

Aluminum foam's high dampening properties provide substantial potential for reducing mechanical vibration and noise in lightweight applications. However, inadequate understanding of the damping mechanism cannot provide sufficient theoretical guidance to improve the damping performances. In this study, the DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis) tests results were compared with the numerical simulations to examine the correlation between local plastic deformation and the aluminum foam's damping performances. The 3D geometric modeling of aluminum foam was imported into ABAQUS/Explicit. The loss factors derived from the plastic energy dissipation of the numerical simulations are well consistent with the DMA tests. The simulation showed that the cell walls produces localized plastic deformation at the strains well below the elastic limit of engineering point view. Meanwhile, the plateau borders remain elastic, and thereby maintain the overall elasticity of aluminum foams. Aluminum foam's damping properties are tailorable by altering the pore size and local solid materials thickness. Under vibration loading, the aluminum foam sandwich offers higher damping performances due to greater local plastic deformation within the overall elastic range of the components.

Interface microstructures and mechanical properties of foamable precursor sandwiches and aluminum foam sandwiches

In this paper, the aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) was obtained from foamable precursor sandwich (FPS) through a foaming process, in which the preparation of FPS was achieved by compound casting with hot rolling. The effects of rolling and foaming on the interface microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. Furthermore, the interface bonding mechanisms and strengthening mechanisms were revealed. For FPSs, increasing the rolling pass increased the interface thermodynamic energy, which was beneficial to the achievement of a more effectively bonded interface. Meanwhile, the grains were refined, the fraction of low angle grain boundaries (fLGABs) and average geometrically necessary dislocation density (ρ¯GND) at the interface increased, which collectively contributed to the enhancement of interface bonding strength and ductility. In the foaming process, although the interface thermodynamic energy led to a reduction in the original interface defects and an enhancement in elements diffusion at the pre-existing well-bonded interface, AFSs displayed lower interface bonding strength and ductility compared to their corresponding FPSs due to coarse grains, decreased fLGABs and ρ¯GND. Moreover, an analysis of interface strengthening mechanisms revealed that the increase of rolling pass for FPS resulted in an improvement in the interface bonding strength and ductility of the corresponding AFS.

Dynamic response and energy absorption of aluminum foam sandwich under low-velocity impact

Aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) are widely used in energy absorption because of their light weight and excellent energy dissipation capabilities. In this study, energy absorption, deformation modes, and dynamic response of AFS under low-velocity impact are investigated using experimental and numerical approaches. Dynamic impact tests are performed utilizing a drop hammer impact test on AFS with different core densities, face sheet thicknesses, and impact energy. Based on the 3D Voronoi foam model, a full-scale finite element model (FEM) is developed to simulate the mechanical response of AFS under low-velocity impact, and verified by experimental results. The contributions of different AFS components to energy absorption at various impact velocities are further analyzed, along with the effects of face sheet thickness distribution. The results indicate that the performance of the face sheet and core and the impact energy have a remarkable influence on the low-velocity impact response and damage modes of the AFS. The type of structure configuration, “thin top and thick bottom,” enables the AFS better play its energy absorption while ensuring the overall light weight. This study provides a reference for the design and optimization of the face sheet thickness of AFS when it is used as an energy-absorbing member and improves their design efficiency.

Effect of core structure on the quasi-static bending behaviors and failure mechanisms of aluminum foam sandwiches at elevated temperatures

In this study, a novel three-step method involving liquid casting, hot-rolling, and foaming was employed to fabricate three types of metallurgical bonded aluminum foam sandwich (AFS): AFS with a uniform foam core (UAFS), AFS with a density-graded foam core (GAFS), and AFS with an interlayer plate (IAFS). The bending behaviors of different AFS structures in four cases were investigated using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique to examine the effect of foam core structure, loading direction, and loading temperature. The results showed that the initial peak load (Fp), plateau load (Fpl) and load oscillation decreased with increasing loading temperature. IAFS demonstrated the low sensitivity to loading temperature, an important reason was the addition of interlayer plate. The deformation mode involved interface separation and foam core detachment occurring in the interface vicinity beneath the indenter at the lower temperatures (≤300 °C) shifted towards well-bonded interface and foam core densification at the higher temperatures (400 °C and 500 °C). Different core structures and loading directions gave rise to four distinct modes of crack initiation and propagation. In addition, as the loading temperature increased, the strain localization effect was diminished, accompanied by hindering in crack formation. The fracture mode of core shear transitioned from brittle to ductile with increasing loading temperature.

Effect of Core Density on the Three-Point Bending Performance of Aluminum Foam Sandwich Panels.

Using the powder-metallurgy rolling method, aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) panels with a metallurgical bond between the foam core and the panel can be produced. In this study, by manipulating the foaming temperature and duration, AFS panels were fabricated with varying core densities and thicknesses, all maintaining a panel thickness close to 1 mm. Through the three-point bending test, this research deeply delved into how core density influences the mechanical behaviors of these AFS panels. It became evident that a rise in core density positively affects the bending strength and failure load of the panels but inversely impacts their total energy absorption efficiency. Differing core densities brought about distinct failure patterns: low-density samples primarily showed panel indentation and core shear failures, whereas those of high density demonstrated panel yield and fractures. Furthermore, the research offers predictions on the initial failure loads for different failure modes and introduces a comprehensively designed failure diagram, laying a foundational theory for the production of AFS panels.

Laser forming of aluminium foam sandwich into a shock-absorbing structural part

The inefficacy of the conventional methods to form Aluminium Foam Sandwich (AFS) has led to the evolution of laser forming as an alternative. However, the current literature lacks studies that demonstrate the capability of the laser forming to form a targeted part out of AFS. The current study for the first time proposed a methodology and revealed salient factors relevant to laser forming an AFS panel into a prescribed scaled-down model (bumper beam). Estimation of the scan line position and the experimental methodology to obtain the desired process parameters against each scan line to obtain the targeted part are demonstrated. Chances of failure of the AFS part during the laser forming were investigated using finite element simulation. The laser-formed part that was finally obtained conformed well to the targeted shape and also exhibited improved flexural strength with no loss of local compressibility under the three-point bending test.

Effect of friction stir welding on microstructure and foaming mechanism of rolled-state anisotropic powder

Friction stir welding (FSW) has a significant impact on welding aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) precursor. Yet, the understanding of the microstructure and foaming process on rolled-state powder of welded precursor remains limited. This study exploited the single-pass double-sided forming welding approach to weld the AFS precursor, while the impact of different process parameters of FSW on the microstructure of rolled-state powder was evaluated. Meanwhile, the foaming process of anisotropic powder at different directions was observed in-situ using synchrotron radiation. The results display that FSW transforms gap-like voids, which were ∼20 µm in width and 100–400 µm in length, into circular voids with a diameter of ∼6 µm in the powder at the weld zone (WZ). The welding process eliminates powder agglomeration aggregation and increases the relative density (>97%) of rolled-state powder. However, the low thermal conductivity of the rolled-state powder (117 W·m−1·K−1) leads to a tunnel defect at the root of the WZ. In addition, in-situ observation experiments of the foaming process found that the bubble nucleation of rolled-state powder exhibits anisotropic characteristics, and the welding process causes a transition in the types of bubble nucleation in the WZ region. This study demonstrates the feasibility of improving the anisotropy of powders caused by processing methods to obtain an isotropic pore formation and foam expansion by FSW technology.

Aluminum Foam Sandwich: Pore Evolution Mechanism Investigation and Engineering Preparing Optimization.

This paper employs an innovative investigation approach to study pore evolution in Al-Si-Mg-Cu alloy within aluminum foam sandwiches (AFS) by integrating data from heating-expansion ratio curves, in situ observation of synchronous radiation, and microscopic analysis of the matrix's microstructure at different stages. Additionally, the cavity design and plate type control for large-scale AFS production are explored. Findings categorize the precursor heating into three stages: rapid heating, solid-liquid transition, and stable foaming. During solid-liquid transition, the expansion rate experiences a sudden drop, associated with pore nucleation and edge cracking of precursors. Pores nucleate as elongated crack-like structures along the rolling direction, guided by the Mg-enriched regions. In stable foaming, these pores evolve, become spherical, and the matrix rapidly expands. Using square tubes for sealing on the preform cavity sides creates a dense edge zone during rolling, halting crack propagation into the powder core. Adopting edge sealing during foaming mitigates boundary effects, thereby improving AFS panel flatness.

Face sheet defects in plastic forming of aluminum foam sandwich panel: theoretical models, numerical and experimental studies

In this paper, the theoretical models of face wrinkling and dimpling defects occurred in the plastic forming of aluminum foam sandwich panel (AFSP) were constructed and the influences of AFSP parameters on defect were investigated to predict and avoid the surface forming defects. The wrinkling and dimpling behaviors of shaped AFSPs were analyzed at different scales first, and the analytical models of critical wrinkling and dimpling stresses of face sheet for the forming of AFSP were developed using energy method and differential equilibrium equation method respectively. Finite element simulations of curved AFSPs forming were performed using macroscopic and mesoscopic AFSP models, and plastic forming experiments of spherical and saddle-shaped AFSPs with different core relative densities were conducted. The surface profiles of simulated parts and the face wrinkles and dimples in experimental parts indicated that the established theoretical models can predict the occurrence of face sheet defects in curved AFSPs forming accurately. Furthermore, the effects of geometric and material parameters of AFSP on face wrinkling suggested that the seriousness of face wrinkling can be reduced by decreasing the thicknesses of face sheet and core, and the wrinkling can be suppressed when the elastic Poisson's ratio of core is close to 0 and 0.5.

Numerical analysis of face sheet/core debonding failure in the plastic forming of aluminum foam sandwich panel

Numerical analysis of face sheet/core debonding failure in the plastic forming of aluminum foam sandwich panel

Compressive behavior and energy absorption analysis of casting skin-wrapped aluminum foams

The mechanical properties are an indispensable factor affecting the energy absorption capability of aluminum foam. In the past few decades, various aluminum foam sandwich structures, including casting skin-wrapped aluminum foams (CWFs), have been developed and proven to be effective in enhancing the integral mechanical properties. This study investigates how adding casting skin affects the compressive behavior and energy absorption of closed-cell aluminum foam. The aluminum foams were produced using the melt route and then used as the core material for manufacturing CWFs through counter-gravity casting solution after pre-heating. Axial and radial compressions were applied to columnar CWFs with pores falling within two size ranges and three ratios (D/T) of outer diameter to casting skin thickness. The failure mode of CWFs was dominated by brittle fracture of casting skin and progressive crush of foam core. Adding casting skin significantly enhanced the mechanical properties in axial compression, while it had no significant effect in radial compression, with both types of compression varying depending on D/T values. Samples with smaller pore sizes exhibited better overall performance. The influence of the addition of mass on the specific energy absorption should be considered in the design of lightweight crashworthy components.