Effects of cell size on compressive properties of aluminum foam
(1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology,Taiyuan 030024, China;
2. Institute of Applied Mechanics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China)
2. Institute of Applied Mechanics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China)
Abstract: The effects of cell size on the quasi-static and dynamic compressive properties of open cell aluminum foams produced by infiltrating process were studied experimentally. The quasi-static and dynamic compressive tests were carried out on MTS 810 system and SHPB(split Hopkinson pressure bar) respectively. It is found that the elastic moduli and compressive strengths of the studied aluminum foam are not only dependent on the relative density but also dependent on the cell size of the foam under both quasi-static loading and dynamic loading. The foams studied show a significant strain rate sensitivity, the flow strength can be improved as much as 112%, and the cell size also has a sound influence on the strain rate sensitivity of the foams. The foams of middle cell size exhibit the highest elastic modulus, the highest flow strength and the most significant strain rate sensitivity.
Key words: aluminum foam; infiltrating process; cell size; compressive properties; strain rate sensitivity