• Metal Foam Synonyms:

foam metal, metal foam, porous metal, cellular solids, cellular metal, closed cell porosity, cellular metallic material, sintered porous structures, syntactic foam, carbon foam, aluminum foam, titanium foam, nickel foam. copper foam, porous metal, cellular solids, cellular metal, closed cell porosity,

•  Metal Foam Description:

1) A metal foam is a cellular structure consisting of a solid metal, frequently aluminium, containing a large volume fraction of gas-filled pores. The pores can be sealed (closed-cell foam), or they can form an interconnected network (open-cell foam). The defining characteristic of metal foams is a very high porosity: typically 75-95% of the volume consists of void spaces. The strength of foamed metal possesses a power law relationship to its density; i.e., a 20% dense material is more than twice as strong as a 10% dense material.

2) Metallic foams typically retain some physical properties of their base material. Foam made from non-flammable metal will remain non-flammable and the foam is generally recyclable back to its base material. Coefficient of thermal expansion will also remain similar while conductivity will likely be reduced.

• Metal Foams Available from READE

1)  Aluminum

2)  Carbon

3)  Copper

4)  Graphite

5)  Hafnium Over Carbon foam

6)  Lead

7)  Molybdenum

8)  Nickel

9)  Nickel- chromium alloy

10) Niobium Over Carbon Foam

11) Rhenium Over Carbon Foam

12) Stainless steel

13) Tantalum Over Carbon Foam

14) Tin

15) Titanium

16) Tungsten Over Carbon Foam

17) Zinc

18) Zirconium Over Carbon Foam

• Foam Metal Popular Manufacturing Techniques:

1) Several techniques are used to produce engineering (structural) foams. With the exception of syntactic foams and self-foamed materials such as foam glass, these materials are produced using a foamed polymer as the starting material.

2) From these economical precursors, three processing routes have been established for the production of ceramic and metallic foams. Ceramic foams can be produced by dipping the polymer foam in a slurry containing an appropriate binder and ceramic phases, followed by pressure less sintering at elevated temperatures.

3) A second process used to make metallic foams utilizes an electroless process for the deposition of a metal onto the polymer foam precursor via electrolytic deposition.

4) A third process begins with the pyrolysis of the thermosetting polymer foam to obtain a carbonaceous foam skeleton. These carbonaceous foam materials are themselves attractive for many aerospace and industrial applications, including thermal insulation, impact absorption, catalyst support, and metal and gas filtration. They are thermally stable, low in weight and density, and are chemically pure; they have low thermal expansion, resist thermal stress and shock, and are relatively inexpensive.

5) Closed-cell foam structures look very similar to a cellulose kitchen sponge; each cell is separated from another cell by thin walls of metal. Open-cell foam structures look very similar to a loofah sponge; the "holes" vary in size depending on the desired application.

• Foam Metal Typical Applications:

Energy absorption, filtration, sound suppression, magnetic shielding, vibration damping, stiff lightweight panels, thermal insulation barriers, medical implants, storage media, fuel cells, and heat exchangers

• Foam Metal Packaging:

Usually to a customers specification

• Foam Metal TSCA (SARA Title III) Status:

Varies. For further information please call the E.P.A. at +1.202.554.1404