SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost Metal Foams Produced by Novel Manufacturing Technique

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段将开发一种新的方法来制造低成本的泡沫铝材料，该材料将具有高能量吸收能力，高强度重量比和刚度重量比。人们对用于汽车、船舶和航空航天工业的多孔金属泡沫产生了极大的兴趣。生产金属泡沫的大多数方法都非常昂贵，并且不能容易地按比例放大到大规模生产。由于发泡过程所需的金属基质中存在研磨性陶瓷颗粒，市售泡沫材料有时难以加工或连接。这种新的发泡方法将能够使用低成本制造方法生产各种孔尺寸和密度的闭孔泡沫铝板或棒形式。与目前最先进的发泡方法相比，泡沫铝将以更低的成本生产。泡沫铝可用于需要高强度和刚度重量比的汽车和航空航天应用。该技术的更广泛影响将是一种比当前发泡工艺更通用、更经济和更可定制的铝发泡技术。传统的机械加工和焊接技术可用于成形和连接泡沫铝。发泡技术也将适用于其他金属系统，如铜和镁。由于该材料的高强度和刚度重量比，发泡工艺将在航空航天、建筑、船舶和汽车工业中开辟广泛的技术应用。轻质泡沫铝将通过汽车和飞机的能量吸收实现高燃料效率和改进的耐撞性。泡沫铝材料应表现出高的吸声能力，并且比蜂窝铝板更具结构各向同性。轻质泡沫铝可用于建筑应用中的标志和面板-本身或夹层复合板。与传统的粉末冶金技术相比，所提出的制造方法应以20-40%的低成本生产泡沫铝。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I will develop a novel method to fabricate low-cost foamed aluminum materials that will exhibit high-energy absorption capability, high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. There has been a significant interest in porous metal foams for use in the automotive, marine, and aerospace industries. Most methods of producing the metal foams are quite expensive and cannot be easily scaled up to mass production. Commercially available foamed materials are sometimes difficult to machine or to join because of the presence of abrasive ceramic particles within the metal matrix required for the foaming process. This novel foaming process will be capable of producing closed-cell foamed aluminum panel or rod forms in various cell sizes and densities using a low-cost manufacturing approach. The foamed aluminum will be produced at lower cost in comparison to current state-of-the-art foaming methods. The foamed aluminum can be used in automotive and aerospace applications requiring high strength and stiffness to weight ratios.The broader impact from this technology would be an aluminum foaming technology that could be more versatile, economical, and tailorable than current foaming processes. Conventional machining and welding techniques can be used to shape and join the foamed aluminum. The foaming technology will also be applicable to other metal systems, such as copper and magnesium. The foaming process will open a wide range of technological applications within the aerospace, architectural, marine, and automotive industries, due to the material's high strength and stiffness to weight ratio. Lightweight foamed aluminum will enable high fuel efficiencies and improved crashworthiness through energy absorption in automobiles and aircraft. The foamed aluminum material should exhibit high sound-absorption capabilities and be more structurally isotropic than honeycomb aluminum panels. Lightweight foamed aluminum can be used in architectural applications for signs and panels- by itself or in sandwiched composite panels. The proposed fabrication approach should produce foamed aluminum at 20-40% less cost in comparison to conventional powder metallurgy techniques.