Parts Containing Open-Celled Metal Foam Manufactured by the Foundry Route: Processes, Performances, and Applications

This work presents casting techniques developed by CTIF for manufacturing functional parts containing open-celled metal foam. It also deals with the performances of these cast foams in energy absorption and thermal management applications and gives some examples of achievements in these fields. Regarding the manufacturing routes, the emphasis is put on the means to achieve foamed parts getting a solid skin. The obtained cast open-celled structures are stochastic or regular. Behaviors in energy absorption of these two kinds of structures are distinguished and first results in heat exchange properties are mentioned.