Mechanical properties of Al metal foams

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 58; no. 21; pp. 2574 - 2578
• Main Authors: Papadopoulos, D.P, Konstantinidis, I.Ch, Papanastasiou, N, Skolianos, S, Lefakis, H, Tsipas, D.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-08-2004
• Subjects: Al metal foam; Mechanical properties; Mechanical properties; Al metal foam
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2004.03.004

Pure Al foams, produced by a melt foaming method, were characterized by optical and electron microscopy and found to have a uniform microstructure. Their mechanical properties under compression were evaluated using a microtest apparatus in the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) vacuum chamber while observing in situ the crack initiation. Their main mechanical properties, that is, the Young's modulus and the plateau strength, were also determined using a model based on widely accepted theoretical approach and further corrected for size effects. The experimental and theoretical results produced in this work seem to be in a very good agreement. Some difference found in comparison with the results of other investigators is accounted for.