The effect of micro and nano scale SiC reinforcements on the mechanical and energy absorption behaviour of produced Aluminium foams with PM

The main targets of this research are synthesizing Aluminium foams with Micro and Nano scale SiC particles and evaluating their mechanical properties. For this purpose Aluminium, TiH2 and Si powders mixed firstly and divided in two equal groups, then the same amounts of Micro and Nano-SiC reinforcements added to mixed powders. Compaction and hot extrusion applied to them for preparing the precursors and finally the precursors inserted into moulds and heated up to 700 oC to expand and produce Aluminium composite foams. Uniaxial compression testswere carried out to survey the energy absorption of two specimens. Results indicated that the reinforced Aluminium foam with Nano-SiC particles exhibits energy absorption capacity in the range of 25-27 times higher than the Aluminium foam with Micro- SiC particles. This behaviour can be explained as a result of increase in the yield stress and plateau stress of Aluminium composite foam by using Nano-SiC reinforcement rather than increase in densification strain.

Keywords:

Micro SiC , Nano SiC , Aluminium foam , Energy absorption