Aluminium foams. manufacture, properties and applications

Aluminium foams are porous to have many interesting combinations of physical and mechanical properties, such as high stiffness in conjunction with very low specific weight. The aluminium foam structure, manufacture processes, physical, chemical and mechanical properties and applications are reviewed in this paper. The various manufacturing processes are classified according to the state of matter in which the metal is processed. Liquid aluminium can be foamed directly by injecting gas or gas-releasing blowing agents. Indirect methods include melting of powder compacts which contain a blowing agent. An inert gas entrapped in powder compacts can produce aluminium foams in solid state after heat treatment. Electron-deposition or metal vapour deposition also allow for the production of aluminium foams. Physical, chemical and mechanical properties and the various ways for characterising the aluminium foams are reviewed in second section of this paper. finally, the various application fields for aluminium foams are discussed. They are divided into different industrial sectors. (Author) 75 refs