Exploring the value of metal foam materials

Metal Foam is a kind of porous metal material that forms numerous three-dimensional spatial mesh structures in the metal matrix, also known as porous metal foam, which has gained general attention at home and abroad due to its combination of metallic properties and some special physical properties of nonmetals. In the past 50 years, there has been great progress in the development of metal foam, application development and theoretical study of its structural properties.
The combination of “foam” and “metal” two concepts, we can not help but think that the metal foammaterial combines the respective advantages of these two substances: retaiNing the excellent ductility of metal, weldability and electrical conductivity at the same time, with the energy absorption and shock absorption, acoustic noise reduction, breathable and water permeable, and other special advantages.
Metal foam material consists of metal skeleton pores, the organization is extremely inhomogeneous, when subjected to external pressure, there are three deformation stages, namely, the elastic deformation stage, brittle crushing stage and compact stage, so when the metal foam material is subjected to impact, the strain is obviously lagging behind the stress, in the stress-strain curve contains a long period of the plateau area. It is not only able to absorb more energy, but also able to resist higher destructive stress, is a material with excellent impact resistance. It is reported that the density ratio of 0.05 ~ 0.15 of the aluminum foam can absorb the energy of 20 ~ 180 MJ / m2. The use of its excellent impact resistance, so that the aluminum foam may be used as a car bumper, the landing gear of the spaceship, the elevator conveyor safety cushions, a variety of packaging boxes, as well as rockets and jet engines, protective materials. Metal foam is generally located in the middle of a sandwich of two plates for shock absorption and aesthetic purposes.
Relative to other types of porous materials, metal foam has good electrical conductivity, with a certain self-supporting ability and the advantages of a large surface area to provide a broad interface chemical charge transfer space, porous foam electrode structure can greatly improve the porosity of the electrode, which can be filled with more active substances, increase the capacity of the battery so that the electrode of the real current density is greatly reduced for the study of high specific energy, long life, Lightweight battery electrode materials provide a possibility. Thus, metal foam becomes an excellent electrode material, which is suitable for various kinds of storage batteries, fuel cells, air batteries and solar cells.
Sponge metal foam materials generally have the following three properties at the same time: high heat resistance, even if the temperature reaches the melting point of the base alloy does not melt; at the same time, it has a smooth skeleton surface and homogeneous material, and non-porous metal with roughly the same heat-resistant and anti-oxidation properties; the open-pore structure has permeability. This kind of titanium foam material, which combines high temperature heat resistance, oxidation resistance and permeability, can be used for dust filtration under high temperature conditions. The structure is uniform, the pore size distribution is narrow, and the separation efficiency is high.