Paper number 589
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PREPARATION OF CERAMIC/METAL FOAM LAMINATES USING AN IN SITU FOAMING TECHNIQUE |
V. Gergely1, F. Simancík2, T. J. Matthams1 and T. W. Clyne1
1 Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, U.K.
2 Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 838 12 Bratislava, Slovakia
| Summary | A study has been carried out of the stability of liquid metallic foams during preparation of laminated ceramic/foamed aluminium composites. The fabrication route involves infiltration of the spaces between ceramic layers with expanding semi-liquid metal foam. Examination of the foam macrostructure revealed that cell coarsening is very sensitive to the foam baking parameters (temperature and time). Theoretical analysis of material redistribution in the liquid foam showed that foam stability can be improved by increasing the melt viscosity. This can be achieved, for example, by incorporation of ceramic particles into the precursor material. However, analysis suggests that the size of particles should be kept reasonably small (~ few µm) because the "life time" of small cells is significantly reduced when the particles are larger. |
Keywords | layered structure, laminate fabrication, foamed aluminium, cell coalescence. |