Particle size and fraction required to stabilise aluminium alloy foams created by gas injection

• Published in: Scripta materialia Vol. 153; pp. 54 - 58
• Main Authors: Heim, K., García-Moreno, F., Banhart, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2018
• Subjects: Al-foams; Composites; Particle stabilised; X-ray imaging; Composites; Al-foams; Particle stabilised; X-ray imaging
• ISSN: 1359-6462; 1872-8456
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.04.041

Liquid metal foam owes its stability to the presence of solid particles. To elucidate the conditions under which such particles stabilise foams, 15 different aluminium-alloy based metal matrix composites were melted, after which air was injected with the objective to create bubbles and eventually metal foam. Foam formation was monitored in-situ by X-ray radioscopy. All systems were classified foamable, partially foamable and unfoamable. Foamable composites form a preferred range in the stability diagram displaying particle fractions vs. particle size, thus experimentally confirming earlier claims. All investigated composites fall into the same range even though their alloy and particle types vary.
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