Aluminum foam–polymer hybrid structures (APM aluminum foam) in compression testing

The Advanced Pore Morphology (APM) process, a new method for production of aluminum foam-polymer hybrid materials, is described. Small volume aluminum foam spheres are produced first and then adhesively joined in a separate process step to realize an APM foam part. Detailed information on mechanical properties of this new hybrid material is given. Results of uniaxial and hydrostatic compression tests are summarized and evaluated to show how typical parameters characterizing material and process such as spatial arrangement, size and density of the foam elements influence the global properties. Two levels of the hierarchical architecture of the material are evaluated – namely the individual foam spheres and the hybrid structure. Variation of adhesives and adhesive coating thickness used in bonding the spheres in conjunction with study of unbonded specimens provides additional insight in the influence of this bond. First estimates on density dependence of mechanical properties are derived from the experimental data. Distinctive differences between APM and conventional aluminum foams are qualitatively explained. Throughout the study, AlSi7 aluminum foam produced from chemically identical precursor material according to the powder metallurgical FOAMINAL® process is included as reference material.