Papers by Author: Zhen Kai Xie

Abstract: Highly porous materials with a cellular structure are known to have many interesting combinations of physical and mechanical properties, such as very low specific weight combined with high thermal conductivity. However, when the pore size of the foam metal grows, the strength maintenance is scarce because the array of the pore is not uniform. In the present work, micro porous aluminum with porosities between 5% and 50% and pore sizes of 20～50 μm was produced by applying the powder metallurgical technique, i.e. by sintering the aluminum metal powders and PMMA powder mixture at 913 K. The effect of sintering temperature on the compressive properties of porous aluminum was investigated. The effects of particle size and fraction of space holding particle and metal powder on the porosity pore size and mechanical properties of porous sintered specimens were mainly investigated. The pore size of porous aluminum can be controlled by changing the PMMA powder diameter. The results show the fabrication of the micro porous aluminum with middle porosity and high strength is possible.

Abstract: In the present study, nickel foams with an open cell microporous structure were fabricated by the so-called space-holding particle sintering method, which included the adding of a particulate polymeric material (PMMA). The average pore size of the nickel foams approximated 10.5 μm; and the porosity ranged from 70 % to 80 %. The porous characteristics of the nickel foams were observed using scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical properties were evaluated using compressive tests. For comparison, nickel foams with an open-cell macroporous structure (pore size approximately 1.3 mm) were also presented. Results indicated that the nickel foams with a microporous structure possess enhanced mechanical properties than those with a macroporous structure.

Abstract: Micro-porous nickel (Ni) with an open cell structure was fabricated by a special powder metallurgical process, which includes the adding of a space-holding material. The average pore size of the micro-porous Ni samples approximated 30 μm and 150 μm, and the porosity ranged from 60 % to 80 %. The porous characteristics of the Ni samples were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the mechanical properties were evaluated using compressive tests. For comparison, porous Ni samples with a macro-porous structure prepared by both powder metallurgy (pore size 800 μm) and the traditional chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method (pore size 1300 μm) were also presented. Results indicated that the porous Ni samples with a micro-porous structure exhibited different deformation behaviour and dramatically increased mechanical properties, compared to those of the macro-porous Ni samples.

Abstract: Lotus-type porous magnesium was fabricated by unidirectional solidification of the melt dissolving hydrogen in a high-pressure mixture gas of hydrogen and argon. The damping constant
of porous magnesium with various porosities was measured by the hanging excitation method. The damping constant was defined as α=log (xn/xn+1)/
T, where xn and xn+1 are the successive amplitude values of the damping wave, and
T is the damping time. The frequency-amplitude dependence curve was obtained by Fast Fourier Transform analysis. The damping time of the lotus-type porous magnesium was observed to be shortened greatly compared with non-porous metals and porous copper. Moreover, the damping constant of the lotus-type porous magnesium was calculated by the damping amplitude.

Abstract: Lotus-type porous magnesium with a large number of unidirectional cylindrical pores was fabricated by unidirectional solidification of melt dissolving hydrogen in a pressurized hydrogen atmosphere. The vibration-damping capacity of the lotus-type porous magnesium plate which has many open pores was measured in this work. The attenuation coefficients of the free vibration of lotus-type porous magnesium were measured by hammering-vibration-damping test, which revealed that the attenuation coefficients increase with increase in porosity; the damping capacity of lotus magnesium is higher than that of non-porous magnesium. The mechanism for high damping capacity was analyzed on the basis of the Fourier transform technique, which indicates that various vibration modes of high frequency are observed. The excited vibrations of high frequency enhance the damping capacity of lotus-type porous magnesium.

Abstract: The mechanical properties of a closed-cell aluminium foam were investigated by compressive tests, and the deformation behaviours of the aluminium foams were studied using Xray microtomography. The results indicate that the deformation of the aluminium foams under compressive loading was localized in narrow continuous deformation bands having widths of order of a cell diameter. The cells in the deformation bands collapsed by a mixed deformation mechanism, which includes mainly bending and minor buckling and yielding. Different fractions of the three deformation modes led to variations in the peak stress and energy absorption for different foam samples with the same density. It was also found that the cell morphology affects the deformation mechanism significantly, whilst the cell size shows little influence.

Abstract: Lotus-type porous magnesium whose long cylindrical pores were aligned in one direction was fabricated by unidirectional solidification of the melt dissolving hydrogen in a pressurized hydrogen atmosphere. The sound absorption coefficient of porous magnesium whose specimen face has many open pores was measured by standing-wave method in the range up to the frequency of sound of 4 kHz. The relationship between absorption coefficient and pore structure of porous magnesium was studied. The absorption coefficient increases with decrease of the pore size, while it increases with increase of the porosity. Moreover, the peak value with high absorption coefficient is shifted toward higher frequency of sound when the thickness of the porous magnesium specimen decreases.