Design, fabrication and operation of a device for manufacturing metal foams and composites by infiltration

This work presents the design and fabrication of a simple device for manufacturing metal foams and composites using infiltration. The particularities of the operation of this device are also included here, detailing examples of materials manufactured using it. This device was thought to produce composites and foams using matrices from low to medium melting points (e.g., from Mg to Cu alloys), limited to similar to 1200 degrees C. It can be used to produce samples large enough for their study and characterization, being cheaper than other devices reported in literature. Foams and composites of different sizes can be manufactured depending on the dimensions of the device, which can be modified according to the necessities. As examples, cylindrical (10 cm height and 5 cm in diameter) samples were manufactured infiltrating Al and Cu alloys on NaCl, NaCl-Al2O3 spheres mixture, and iron hollow spheres, for manufacturing respectively conventional, composite and syntactic foams. These materials were analyzed through Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopies (OM and SEM, respectively), and compression tests. Their densities and porosities were also measured. The analysis of the obtained materials revealed that following the correct experimental conditions, composites and foams without defects can be manufactured using this device. Different porosity and reinforcement percentages were obtained under these conditions, with the expected mechanical behaviors of such materials.