Effect of thickening agent and foaming agent on the micro-architecture and deformation response of closed cell aluminum foam

Closed cell aluminum foam was synthesized using different types of thickening agents. The effect of temperature, %foaming agent, %thickening agent and the type of thickening agent were varied in order to examine the influence of these parameters on the foam architecture and deformation behaviour. Attempts were also made to make a foam without using any thickening agent and the characteristics of these foams have been compared with the other foams which are made with the use of the thickening agent. It was observed that 0.6 wt.% calcium hydride was sufficient for foaming of aluminum and the relative density of aluminum foam did affected only marginally with an increase in calcium hydride beyond 0.6 wt.%. The increase in melt temperature decreases the relative density of aluminum foam. The relative density of aluminum foam, however, remained invariant to the % thickening agent. On the other hand the relative density of aluminum foam was found to be varied with the type of thickening agent. It was further observed that 10wt% silicon carbide could be the optimum amount as thickening agent considering the relative density and deformation response. Deformation response was found to be varying with the type of thickening agent. It was further noted that aluminum foam could be made without using any thickening agent.