Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam

This study explores the stability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foams and investigates the melt foam filling process and the dynamic evolution of pore structures in the fabrication of foam aluminum profiles using the melt transfer foaming technique. The results show that Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foam maintains...

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Main Authors: Tan Wang, Xiaoqing Zuo, Jianhong Yi, Yun Zhou, Xiaoxu Luo, Shibing Guo, Wenkai Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542402489X
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author Tan Wang
Xiaoqing Zuo
Jianhong Yi
Yun Zhou
Xiaoxu Luo
Shibing Guo
Wenkai Song
author_facet Tan Wang
Xiaoqing Zuo
Jianhong Yi
Yun Zhou
Xiaoxu Luo
Shibing Guo
Wenkai Song
author_sort Tan Wang
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the stability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foams and investigates the melt foam filling process and the dynamic evolution of pore structures in the fabrication of foam aluminum profiles using the melt transfer foaming technique. The results show that Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foam maintains high porosity and a stable pore structure even after 30 min of foaming, without any signs of boundary rupture or destabilization. This stability is attributed to the increased viscosity from finely dispersed second-phase particles, which hinder the growth, coalescence, and drainage of the melt foam. Regarding melt foam filling, enhanced filling capability is achieved by elevating the foaming temperature, extending the foaming time, and increasing the TiH2 addition. The melt foam exhibits a smooth flow from the lower part of the mold to the corners, completing the filling process with well-defined edges in the profile. During lateral movement for filling, a gradual increase in porosity, a decrease in pore number, and a slow enlargement of pore size and standard deviation along the lateral (x-axis) are observed. This is due to the slower liquid phase flow compared to the gas phase, resulting in bubble coalescence. After filling is complete, this phenomenon improves, contributing to a slow and stable evolution of the pore structure.Under optimized conditions of 1.4 wt% TiH2 addition at 600°Cfor 9 min of foaming with Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc alloy melting, we successfully fabricated foam aluminum profiles with complete filling, a porosity of 81.5%, an average pore size of 2–3 mm, and a uniform pore structure.
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spelling doaj-art-e8a2c683588845939add401eb46932ca2025-08-20T02:35:25ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542024-11-01335708571910.1016/j.jmrt.2024.10.219Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foamTan Wang0Xiaoqing Zuo1Jianhong Yi2Yun Zhou3Xiaoxu Luo4Shibing Guo5Wenkai Song6Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China; Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Heze Vocational College, Heze, 274000, ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China; Corresponding author. Kunming University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials science and Engineering professor, China.Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, ChinaFaculty of Foreign Languages and Culture, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650504, China; Corresponding author. Kunming University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Culture, ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, ChinaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, ChinaThis study explores the stability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foams and investigates the melt foam filling process and the dynamic evolution of pore structures in the fabrication of foam aluminum profiles using the melt transfer foaming technique. The results show that Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foam maintains high porosity and a stable pore structure even after 30 min of foaming, without any signs of boundary rupture or destabilization. This stability is attributed to the increased viscosity from finely dispersed second-phase particles, which hinder the growth, coalescence, and drainage of the melt foam. Regarding melt foam filling, enhanced filling capability is achieved by elevating the foaming temperature, extending the foaming time, and increasing the TiH2 addition. The melt foam exhibits a smooth flow from the lower part of the mold to the corners, completing the filling process with well-defined edges in the profile. During lateral movement for filling, a gradual increase in porosity, a decrease in pore number, and a slow enlargement of pore size and standard deviation along the lateral (x-axis) are observed. This is due to the slower liquid phase flow compared to the gas phase, resulting in bubble coalescence. After filling is complete, this phenomenon improves, contributing to a slow and stable evolution of the pore structure.Under optimized conditions of 1.4 wt% TiH2 addition at 600°Cfor 9 min of foaming with Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc alloy melting, we successfully fabricated foam aluminum profiles with complete filling, a porosity of 81.5%, an average pore size of 2–3 mm, and a uniform pore structure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542402489XStability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foamsMelt transfer foamingProfiled componentsFilling processEvolution of pore structures
spellingShingle Tan Wang
Xiaoqing Zuo
Jianhong Yi
Yun Zhou
Xiaoxu Luo
Shibing Guo
Wenkai Song
Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Stability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foams
Melt transfer foaming
Profiled components
Filling process
Evolution of pore structures
title Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
title_full Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
title_fullStr Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
title_short Enhancing melt foam stability, form-filling process, and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
title_sort enhancing melt foam stability form filling process and pore structure evolution of shaped aluminum foam
topic Stability of Al–Si–Ca–Mg-Sc melt foams
Melt transfer foaming
Profiled components
Filling process
Evolution of pore structures
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S223878542402489X
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AT yunzhou enhancingmeltfoamstabilityformfillingprocessandporestructureevolutionofshapedaluminumfoam
AT xiaoxuluo enhancingmeltfoamstabilityformfillingprocessandporestructureevolutionofshapedaluminumfoam
AT shibingguo enhancingmeltfoamstabilityformfillingprocessandporestructureevolutionofshapedaluminumfoam
AT wenkaisong enhancingmeltfoamstabilityformfillingprocessandporestructureevolutionofshapedaluminumfoam