Foam Samples Research Articles

An effective process to reinforced open cell 316LSS foams with MWCNT for improving biocompatibility

316L stainless steel and stainless steel-MWCNT composite foam were synthesized by space holder technique using spherical urea particles. The influence of MWCNT content on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion behaviour of the foam was studied. Stainless steel composite foam samples containing 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt%. MWCNT were fabricated. The micro-hardness and corrosion resistance increased with increase in MWCNT concentration. However the mechanical properties show optimum value at 0.5 wt% MWCNT. To sum up, the MWCNT was an effective reinforcement for enhancing the mechanical and bio-corrosion resistance of stainless steel composite foam samples, making it a suitable candidate for engineering and bio-medical applications.

Preparation and Characterization of Dual-Modified Cassava Starch-Based Biodegradable Foams for Sustainable Packaging Applications.

Starch and its derivatives have recently emerged as a sustainable and renewable alternative for petroleum-based expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam materials. In this study, biodegradable foam materials were prepared from cassava starch using a novel dual modification technique, combining microwave treatment and freeze-drying. The foam materials were prepared from starch solutions microwaved over different intervals. The starch-based foam materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) spectroscopy, and compression set test. Moreover, the water absorption capacities and density values of the foam materials were measured according to ASTM standards. The biodegradability test was carried out according to the aerobic compost environment test. The lowest water absorption capacities of 65.56% and 70.83% were exhibited for the cassava starch foam sample (MWB) prepared at a 20 s microwave treatment time and immersed in distilled water for 2 and 24 h, respectively. Furthermore, the lightweight cassava starch-based foam materials displayed density ranging from 124 to 245 kg/m3. The biodegradation test exhibited significant biodegradation of over 50% after 15 days for all the foam materials prepared. These results suggest that the dual-modified cassava starch-based biodegradable foams show potential in sustainable packaging applications by replacing petroleum-based materials.

The impact of microwave-assisted sintering on fabrication of cobalt ferrite nanostructure foams for gas-sensing

This study employed the Pechini-type sol-gel method to synthesize single-phase cobalt ferrite nanoparticles with almost spherical morphology and an average size of ∼50 nm. The Pechini sol-gel is based on the polysterification reaction between citric acid and ethylene glycol and the formation of colloidal nanoparticles due to the polymerization of an iron-cobalt complex. Foam samples were prepared from the obtained nanoparticles by using urea as the progenic agent and subsequent conventional or microwave sintering. The average grain size values for the microwave and conventionally sintered foam samples were 90 and 280 nm, respectively. Microwave sintering has successfully hindered grain growth regarding the initial ∼50 nm size of the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles. The microwave sintered foam sample showed an approximately two-fold increase in the surface area value compared to its conventionally sintered counterpart. The pore volume for the conventionally and microwave sintered samples was measured at 0.007 and 0.026 cc/g, respectively. Also, the pore diameter values were measured to be less than 2.5 nm in both samples. The pore size distribution within the microwave sintered sample was unimodal, while the conventionally sintered sample showed a bimodal one. The gas-sensing properties of the samples were examined in pure ethanol, acetone, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) atmospheres at different temperatures. The results indicated that for all the samples and in all the three atmospheres, the best working temperature is 300 °C. The microwave sintered foam sample showed the highest sensitivity and the shortest response time. This sample was more selective towards ethanol than the other two gases.

Influence of foaming agents on mechanical and microstructure characterization of AA6061 metal foams

Aluminium metal foams offer low density (∼10–15% of bulk material) possessing cellular structure that ensures unique features with high stiffens, better energy absorption, thermal and acoustic properties. Selection of different foaming agents for preparing AA6061 foam samples are indeed an industrial relevance for better control over porosity and its dimensions, strengths (tensile, flexural and compression) useful for distinguished applications. Three foaming agents such as wax powder, magnesium hydroxide, and titanium hydride are selected with varying 3–9 weight percentage to prepare metal foams viz. powder metallurgy technique. For the prepared foam samples the percentage porosity, pore dimensions (maximum pore size, and equivalent diameter) and strengths were examined. Wax powder foaming agent resulted with a maximum strength in foam samples compared to magnesium hydroxide and titanium hydride. Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis revealed that there is no evidence of foreign elements and confirm uniform distribution of porosity in the foam samples.

Analysis of an open foam generated from computerized tomography scans of physical foam samples

The present article introduces an automated procedure to construct geometrical Representative Volume Elements (RVE) of open-foam cellular materials from computerized tomography (CT) images, with the final aim of generating meshable geometries usable in the Finite Element Method (FEM) used in order to analyse their mechanical behaviour. The methodology consists in growing and fitting a set of ellipsoids to each of the foam cells. These ellipsoids are seeded by local maxima of the distance to the struts obtained from computer tomography images. This methodology is thus fully voxel-based and does not depend on any assumption about statistical distributions of the foam cells. Therefore, it is able to reproduce an accurate geometrical model of the foam's microstructure and its possible irregularities. Moreover, this procedure allows the processing of large 3D data sets that do not fit the random access memory (RAM) by slicing it into smaller independent chunks. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated by comparing it to FEM simulations for which meshes are obtained from a feature reconstruction approach. Both FEM simulations are then compared with experimental results of uniaxial compressions of an open foam.

A novel sound absorber foam based on ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) to absorb low‐frequency waves: Influence of EPDM ethylene content

AbstractIn this study, a partially reticulated foam was fabricated based on ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber to absorb low‐frequency acoustic waves. The effect of ethylene content was studied on the cellular structure, viscoelastic behavior, and sound abortion characteristics. High airflow resistivity of the developed partially reticulated structure, as well as highly deformable cell walls of EPDM foams, led to large dissipation of sound energy at low and medium frequencies. Samples with lower ethylene content which exhibited lower storage modulus and larger pore sizes showed higher viscose motions with superior sound absorption. The foam sample with the lowest ethylene content offered the best sound absorption coefficient with a sharp peak as high as 0.91 within the 500–2500 Hz frequency range. The results imply the role of ethylene content as a molecular structure tool to optimize the acoustic absorption potential of EPDM foam. Besides, the foam samples showed considerable insulation performance, yielding a sound reduction index equal to 26–29 dB. The absorption and reflection of the sound waves were integrated to provide the insulation. Thus, a developed lightweight insulator with high resistance to harsh environmental conditions and great low‐frequency sound absorption could be achieved by structural engineering.

Polydisperse solid foams: Multiscale modeling and simulations of elasto-acoustic properties including thin membrane effects

This work is concerned with the prediction of the elasto-acoustic properties of polydisperse solid foam structures. A highly polydisperse foam sample is first characterized using microtomography and scanning electron microscopy. Relevant geometrical properties are then determined by image processing and utilized to model the partially closed cell system with random Laguerre tessellations. The macroscopic visco-thermal transport properties of the solid foams are next calculated by numerical techniques, using either finite element computations or pore-network simulations. The permeability and sound absorption coefficient at normal incidence are also measured and a good agreement is obtained with the calculations when the elasto-acoustic coupling is modeled from the Biot’s equations (including characterized visco-elastic parameters). Our results demonstrate that stochastic geometry provides a robust framework to understand the structure–property relationships of polydisperse foam.

Environmental degradation of foamed geopolymers

Modern materials used in civil engineering should fulfill the numerous of requirements connected building standards, but not only. They should also be ecological and durable. Geopolymers are characterized by very good mechanical properties, high resistance against acids, chlorides and sulfates, high thermal resistance, and other properties confirmed by previous research. There is still a few amount of research connected with resistance, this materials for different environmental conditions, especially a lack of investigation connected with foamed geopolymers in this area. The main objective of the article is to analyze the possibilities of the development of new foamed geopolymer composites to increase durability, especially against degradation in corrosive water environments. This paper presents the influence on the mechanical properties of foamed geopolymer composites on the water environment. As raw materials, fly ash from the coal power plant ‘Skawina’ (located in: Skawina, Lesser Poland, Poland) and metakaolin (Czech Republic) were used. The chemical composition of the fly ash is typical for class F. Additionally, the composites were reinforced by flax fiber. Solid and foam samples were prepared. As a foaming agent, hydrogen peroxide (H2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$_{2}$$\\end{document}O2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$_{2})$$\\end{document} was applied. The following research methods were applied: compressive strength, flexural strength, porosity measurements, water absorption in fresh and salt water. The results show that, however, environmental conditions have a significant influence on the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites; the geopolymer composites can be successfully produced with the addition of natural fibers and have good strength parameters even after long-term use (materials were tested after 360 days).

Intense cyclic heating effects on thermo-fracture and thermal shock of solid tungsten and open-cell tungsten foam

We investigate here the effects of transient (cyclic) arc-jet plasma and laser heating on fracture behavior of W-foam and solid tungsten. The two key parameters that control the foam thermomechanical response are its density and mean cell size expressed in Pores Per Inch (PPI). Tungsten foam samples were fabricated with Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) with variety of PPI and relative density. These were tested under two types of qualitatively different conditions: (1) high-enthalpy arc-jet, and (2) high-power cyclic laser heating. None of the foam samples showed macroscopic through-thickness cracks. However, distributed micro-cracks were observed on ligaments and their triple junctions. Under the same loading conditions, W-foam and solid tungsten showed similar crack network pattern and characteristic length-scale. However, Crack Opening Displacement (COD) was twice as large in solid W as compared to W-foam. Foam samples that have been previously exposed to a low-pressure helium plasma showed significant changes in their surface forming nano-texture fuzz which was removed by subsequent testing in the arc-jet. Extensive fracture and re-crystallization were observed in the thin solid W disk that was fully-constrained from expansion. Thicker and fully-constrained solid W disks did not display recrystallization, grain growth, and extensive cracking. However, thicker disks that were free to expand showed some recrystallization and extensive through-thickness cracks due to less effective cooling and thus higher temperatures. Laser beam testing showed no visible damage formation at 0.19 GW/m2 and 0.38 GW/m2 for both low-density (23%) and high-density (43%) foams at low pulses (100-1000). Micro-cracks were observed after 10,000 pulses at 0.19 GW/m2 in both foams, and in low-density foam after 100,000 at 0.38 GW/m2. The nature of thermomechanical damage in W-foam exposed to extreme power (GW/m2) short-duration laser pulses was found to be qualitatively similar to that of high power (MW/m2) long-duration arc-jet.

Effect of strain rate and load orientation on cyclic response of anisotropic polyurethane foam

Anisotropic cellular materials, such as polymeric foams, play an important role in structures subjected to cyclic loadings. The present paper provides an experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior of an anisotropic polyurethane foam subjected to cyclic compressive loadings under two perpendicular orientations: the rising and perpendicular directions. The foam samples are loaded under three different strain rates and various deformations. The experimental results are presented in terms of elasticity modulus, maximal compressive stress, effective energy absorption capacity, and residual strain. It is proved that the investigated polyurethane foam presents a macroscopic mechanical anisotropy caused by microscopic cell elongation in the foaming direction. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the mechanical behavior of the foam is fully influenced by both deformation rates and imposed strains. The experimental stress–strain curves are modelized using an empirical model considering an adjustable modulus of elasticity. The analytical results show a good agreement with the experiments.

Production of bio‐polyurethane (BPU) foams from greenhouse/agricultural wastes, and their biodegradability

AbstractThe exploration of effective utilization of greenhouse wastes is challenging. This paper demonstrates a hydrothermal treatment approach involving the co‐liquefaction of greenhouse wastes with agricultural residue in a mixed solvent of water and ethanol in the presence of a base catalyst, to convert greenhouse wastes and corn stalk into bio‐oil/bio‐polyol at a very high yield of 57.2%, accompanied by a very low yield of solid residue. This bio‐oil (hydroxyl number: 305 mg KOH/g) was successfully used as bio‐polyol to substitute up to 50% petroleum‐based polyol for the preparation of bio‐polyurethane (BPU) foams. The biodegradability of the BPU foams was also studied by incubation with Dyella sp. for a period of 8 weeks. The weight loss, Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of foam samples were collected and analyzed. The BPU foams exhibited much better biodegradability than the petroleum‐based polyurethane (PU) foam. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Test and optimisation of a multi-modal phase-based x-ray microscope for soft tissue imaging.

Tissue imaging is a pivotal component of both biomedical research and clinical practice. In order to identify tissue structures down to the cellular level, it requires the capability to image mm-size unstained tissue specimens with micron to sub-micron resolution. Tissue imaging is normally performed either using x-rays or visible light. While the latter is limited by light scattering in relatively thick tissues, the former often suffers from poor contrast in absorption-based systems. Phase-contrast x-ray microscopes exist but they often lack the required quantitativeness, entail acquisition times of the order of tens of hours for 3-D imaging and are limited to narrow fields of view. We propose a novel multi-modal phase-based x-ray microscope capable of imaging mm-thick tissue samples on a mm-size field of view using intensity-modulation masks. They act as optical elements allowing the quantitative retrieval of tissue properties such as transmission, refraction and scattering. Additionally, given that the system’s spatial resolution depends only on the mask aperture size, a multi-resolution approach is possible by selecting masks with aperture size matching the resolution requirements (micron and sub-micron) of specific samples. The design and optimization of the x-ray microscope is presented in this paper together with exemplar images of a thin foam sample resulting from the retrieval of the three contrast channels. The final paper will include details of the system parameter optimization (e.g., propagation distance, mask aperture and period), their effect on the retrieval algorithm and imaging performance as well as the first images of biological samples.

Eubacterium coprostanoligenes and Methanoculleus identified as potential producers of metabolites that contribute to swine manure foaming.

Swine manure foaming is a major problem, causing damage to property, livestock, and people. Here, we identified the main chemicals and microbes that contribute to foaming. Foaming and non-foaming swine manure were sampled from farms in Iowa and Illinois. Targeted and untargeted metabolomics analyses identified chemical markers that differed between foaming and non-foaming manure and between manure layers. Microbial community analysis and metagenomics were performed on a subset of samples. Foam contained significantly higher levels of total bile acids and long chain fatty acids like palmitic, stearic and oleic acid than the other manure layers. Foam layers also had significantly higher levels of ubiquinone 9 and ubiquinone 10. The slurry layer of foaming samples contained more alanine, isoleucine/leucine, diacylglycerols (DG), phosphtatidylethanolamines, and vitamin K2, while ceramide was significantly increased in the slurry layer of non-foaming samples. Eubacterium coprostanoligenes and Methanoculleus were more abundant in foaming samples, and E. coprostanoligenes was significantly correlated with levels of DG. Genes involved in diacylglycerol biosynthesis and in the biosynthesis of branched-chain hydrophobic amino acids were overrepresented in foaming samples. A mechanism for manure foaming is hypothesized in which proliferation of Methanoculleus leads to excessive production of methane, while production of DG by E. coprostanoligenes and hydrophobic proteins by Methanosphaera stadtmanae facilitates bubble formation and stabilization. While some chemical and biological treatments have been developed to treat swine manure foaming, its causes remain unknown. We identified key microbes and metabolites that correlate with foaming and point to possible roles of other factors like animal feed.

Effect of the number of projections in X-ray CT imaging on image quality and digital volume correlation measurement

Digital volume correlation (DVC) quantifies internal 3D displacement and strain fields by correlating the volume images of a tested object acquired at different states. When using X-ray CT-based DVC, the number of projections is a key parameter that affects the acquisition time and quality of reconstructed volumetric images, and therefore the precision and temporal resolutions of DVC measurement. More projections result in high-quality volume images for DVC calculation but longer acquisition time and pronounced thermal drifts of the X-ray source. Few projections lead to quicker acquisition and fewer thermal drifts, but may degrade image quality and thus induce larger DVC measurement errors. Selecting an appropriate number of projections during CT imaging is therefore of practical significance for DVC measurement. To solve this dilemma, the effect of the number of projections on DVC measurements with X-ray CT is experimentally investigated in this work. First, numerically simulated speckle volume images with different numbers of projections were reconstructed by using FDK (Feldkamp) algorithm, and the influence of the number of projections on DVC measurement was analyzed. Then, real rescan and compression experiments performed on a copper foam sample were carried out to further study the effect of projection number on DVC measurements. Both simulation and real experiments show that more projections result in longer imaging time but higher quality volume image and DVC measurement. DVC measurement errors decrease with the increase of projections at different decline rates. Therefore, an appropriate number of projections can be specified based on the results according to the requirements of DVC measurement precision and temporal resolution. For the specific X-ray CT device used in this real compression experiment, 36 ∼ 60 projections are suggested to balance measurement precision and temporal resolution, and more than 720 projections are necessary for pursuing higher accuracy.

Preparation of bio-based polyurethane hydroponic foams using 100% bio-polyol derived from Miscanthus through organosolv fractionation

A novel bio-based polyurethane (BPU) hydroponic foam was developed by substituting up to 100% of petroleum-derived polyol with bio-polyol derived from cost-effective organosolv fractionation of Miscanthus in an acetic acid-water (9/1, v/v) mixed solvent. The optimal operating conditions for organosolv fractionation were determined to be 100 °C for 120 min with 10% H2SO4 (based on dry biomass), yielding ~38% bio-polyol and ~56% crude cellulose. The obtained bio-polyol contains a significant amount of active hydroxyl groups as determined by FTIR and 1H NMR spectra analyzes, with a hydroxyl number of 157 mg KOH/g and a low weight-average molecular weight (Mw = 1900 g/mol). All BPU foam samples were evaluated for their foaming, physical, mechanical, and morphology properties. When compared to a reference foam, all BPU foams had a high open cell content of 70–80% and a maximum water absorption capacity of ~1180%. At 10% deformation, all BPU foams had comparable compressive strengths ranging from 27 kPa to 38 kPa. SEM analysis revealed that all BPU foams, especially the 100% BPU-4 foam sample, had an average cell size of 176 µm, which was comparable to that of a reference foam (172 µm). TGA analysis indicated that these foam samples were thermally stable at temperatures up to 200 °C. This research work demonstrated that the BPU foams containing up to 100% bio-polyols, with their high open cell content and high water absorption capacity, as well as relatively low mechanical strength and good cell uniformity and thermal stability, would find hydroponic application as horticultural growing media.

Microstructural Parameters for Modelling of Superconducting Foams.

Superconducting YBaCuO (YBCO) foams were prepared using commercial open-cell, polyurethane foams as starting material to form ceramic YBaCuO foams which are then converted into superconducting YBCO by using the infiltration growth process. For modelling the superconducting and mechanical properties of the foam samples, a Kelvin-type cell may be employed as a first approach as reported in the literature for pure polyurethane foams. The results of a first modelling attempt in this direction are presented concerning an estimation of the possible trapped fields (TFs) and are compared to experimental results at 77 K. This simple modelling revealed already useful information concerning the best suited foam structure to realize large TF values, but it also became obvious that for various other parameters like magnetostriction, mechanical strength, percolative current flow and the details of the TF distribution, a refined model of a superconducting foam sample incorporating the real sample structure must be considered. Thus, a proper description of the specific microstructure of the superconducting YBCO foams is required. To obtain a set of reliable data, YBCO foam samples were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). A variety of parameters including the size and shape of the cells and windows, the length and shape of the foam struts or ligaments and the respective intersection angles were determined to better describe the real foam structure. The investigation of the foam microstructures revealed not only the differences to the original polymer foams used as base material, but also provided further insights to the infiltration growth process via the large amount of internal surface in a foam sample.

Effects of grafting and long-chain branching structures on rheological behavior, crystallization properties, foaming performance, and mechanical properties of polyamide 6

Abstract Polyamide 6 (PA6) was modified with ethylene maleic anhydride syndiotactic copolymer resin (ZeMac), and triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) as modifiers to prepare a grafting structure and a long-chain branching structure, respectively. The effects of two modifiers on the rheological behavior, crystallization properties, foaming performance, and mechanical properties of PA6 were systematically studied by rotating rheometry, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that there were differences in crystallization properties between the two modification methods, but they significantly improved the rheological, foaming performance, and mechanical properties of PA6. In particular, PA6 with long-chain branching structure through TGIC modification showed better performance in various physicochemical characterizations. The introduction of ZeMac reduced the average diameter of bubbles in pure PA6 from 146.32 to 88.12 µm, and the density of bubbles increased from 1.69 × 105 to 5.35 × 105 cells·cm−3. The introduction of TGIC reduced the average diameter of bubbles in pure PA6 from 146.32 to 64.36 µm, and the density of bubbles increased to 1.31 × 106 cells·cm−3. Moreover, the mechanical properties of both nonfoamed and foamed samples were improved after modification.

Conventional and Microcellular Injection Molding of a Highly Filled Polycarbonate Composite with Glass Fibers and Carbon Black.

Conventional solid injection molding (CIM) and microcellular injection molding (MIM) of a highly filled polycarbonate (PC) composite with glass fibers and carbon black were performed for molding ASTM tensile test bars and a box-shape part with variable wall thickness. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine the microstructure at the fractured surface of the tensile test bar samples. The fine and uniform cellular structure suggests that the PC composite is a suitable material for foaming applications. Standard tensile tests showed that, while the ultimate strength and elongation at break were lower for the foamed test bars at 4.0–11.4% weight reduction, their specific Young’s modulus was comparable to that of their solid counterparts. A melt flow and transition model was proposed to explain the unique, irregular “tiger-stripes” exhibited on the surface of solid test bars. Increasing the supercritical fluid (SCF) dosage and weight reduction of foamed samples resulted in swirl marks on the part surface, making the tiger-stripes less noticeable. Finally, it was found that an injection pressure reduction of 25.8% could be achieved with MIM for molding a complex box-shaped part in a consistent and reliable fashion.

Activated Carbon Foam Derived from Treatment Products of RDF without Pressure and Stabilization Stage for Removal of Pollutants from Water


 
 
 Carbon foam is an advanced porous material with multiple high-technology applications, due to its cell structure, light weight, very good thermal and chemical stability, high thermal and electrical conductivity, as well as exceptional electromagnetic and acoustic properties. The present work aims to find suitable treatment, allowing the formation of a large number of micro- and mesopores in carbon foams, obtained by recently developed synthesis method without the use of pressure and stabilization stage. High compressive strength materials were synthesized after heat treatment up to 1000◦C. It was found that the heat treatment in the presence of water vapour of the obtained carbon foam samples allows a significant increase in specific surface area and the volume of the micro- and mesopores. This gives the possibility for successful application of the synthesized material in water and air purification, as a catalyst support, construction material, and in other fields.
 
 

Mechanical and Physical Characteristics of Bubble Alumina Reinforced Aluminum Syntactic Foams Made Through Recyclable Pressure Infiltration Technique

Metal matrix syntactic foams (MMSFs) are advance hybrid materials which reflect synergetic combination of particle reinforced composites and close cell metal foams. Recently, MMSFs have become considerably popular for several industrial areas because of their low density, high compression strength, good ductility and perfect energy absorption ability. In this paper, Al 7075/bubble alumina syntactic foams were fabricated by recyclable pressure infiltration casting method. Macroscopic and microscopic investigations showed that almost flawless infiltration was obtained between 2 – 4 mm hollow bubble alumina spheres and total porosity values of fabricated foams varied between % 43.2 and % 45.6. As for mechanical analyses, all foam samples were subjected to quasi-static compression test (1 mm/min deformation rate) and their crucial properties such as compression strength, plateau strength, densification strain and energy absorption capacity were determined. Besides, aging heat treatment (T6) was applied to certain samples in order to explore probable effects of heat treatment on the mechanical responses. The outcomes indicated that there was a positive relationship between the aging treatment and compressive features. Under the compressive loading, even though T6 treated foams showed a tendency to brittle fracture, their as-cast variants exhibited ductile behavior.