Liquid-Metal Foams – Feasible In Situ Experiments under Low Gravity

Abstract:

Metal foams are quite a challenge to materials scientists due to their difficult manufacturing. In all processes the foam develops in the liquid or semiliquid state. Liquid-metal foams are complex fluids which contain liquid metals, solid particles and gas bubbles at the same time. An X-ray transparent furnace was developed to monitor liquid metal foam evolution. Aluminium foams - similar to the commercial Metcomb foams - were produced by feeding argon or air gas bubbles into an aluminium composite melt. The foam evolution was observed in-situ by X-ray radioscopy under normal gravity. Drainage and rupture were evaluated during the 5 min foam decay and 2 min solidification. Argon blown foams showed significant drainage and cell wall rupture during the first 20 s of foam decay. Air blown foams were stable and neither drainage nor rupture occurred. We demonstrated the feasibility of experiments during parabolic flight or drop tower campaigns. However, the development of a foam generator for low gravity is needed.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 508)
• Pages: 275-280
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.508.275
• Online since: March 2006
• Authors: N. Babcsán, F. Garcia-Moreno, D. Leitlmeier, John Banhart
• Keywords: Low Gravity, Metal Foam, Radioscopy, X-Ray

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