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

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泡沫铝材料，该材料将具有高能量吸收能力、高强度/重量和高硬度/重量比。在汽车、海洋和航空航天工业中使用的多孔金属泡沫已经引起了人们的极大兴趣。大多数生产金属泡沫的方法都相当昂贵，而且不容易扩大到大规模生产。商业上可用的发泡材料有时很难加工或连接，因为发泡过程所需的金属基质中存在磨料陶瓷颗粒。这种新的发泡工艺将能够使用低成本制造方法生产各种泡孔尺寸和密度的闭孔泡沫铝板材或棒材。与目前最先进的发泡方法相比，泡沫铝的生产成本将更低。泡沫铝可用于汽车和航空航天应用，需要高强度和高硬度的重量比。这项技术的更广泛影响将是一种铝发泡技术，它可能比目前的发泡工艺更通用、更经济、更可定制。传统的机械加工和焊接技术可以用来成形和连接泡沫铝。发泡技术也将适用于其他金属系统，如铜和镁。发泡过程将在航空航天、建筑、船舶和汽车行业开启广泛的技术应用，因为这种材料具有高强度和高硬度与重量比。通过汽车和飞机的能量吸收，轻质泡沫铝将实现高燃油效率和更好的耐撞性。泡沫铝材料应表现出高吸声能力，并比蜂窝铝板在结构上更加各向同性。轻质泡沫铝可用于建筑标牌和面板--单独使用或用于夹层复合板。与传统的粉末冶金技术相比，所提出的制造方法生产泡沫铝的成本应该降低20%-40%。

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.