Processing of shape memory CuZnAl open-cell foam by molten liquid infiltration

Metallic cellular materials are nowdays under intense research. Even made from traditional metals and alloys metallic foams offer a range of interesting set of phisical and mechanical properties for structural applications, as well as morphologies and/or chemical properties for diverse functional applications, Foaming of shape memory alloys greatly improves the set of applications possibilities. In this work an open cell metal foam of CuZnAl shape memory alloy is presented. the open-cell foam was produced through a recently proposed process, which consist mainly in molten metal infiltration of a silica-gel particles bed and the use of hydrofluoric acid (HF) as solvent. By this process a CuZnAl shape memory alloy was successsfully foamed. The results showed an excellent regular open cell foam of almost spherical cell morphology having a relative density of approximatelt 0.3. Microstructural and composition analyses on cylindrical foamed specimens of 60 mm in diameter showed a uniform morphology and a high chemical comosition homogeneity degree. In this way the possibility of foaming CuZnAl system through the propposed low cost process was clearly demonstrated.