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Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials

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A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Computation and Simulation on Metals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 14333

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Francesca Campana

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Ingegneria Meccanica E Aerospaziale, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: metallic foams modeling, characterization and applications for crashworthiness design, lattice structure optimization; reverse engineering and image analysis with applications for pipeline external damage assessment and tolerance qualification; CAD modeling and design for cultural heritage, especially for ancient bronze statue restoration, exhibition, and study; integrated product-process design oriented to sheet metal forming and digital design

Prof. Dr. Michele Bici

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Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMA), University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via Eudossiana n.18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: mechanical engineering and design; reverse engineering; CAD; CAE; CAT&I; additive manufacturing; topological optimization; virtual prototyping; engineering for cultural heritage

Prof. Dr. Edoardo Mancini

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DIIIE, Università degli studi dell’Aquila, Piazzale Ernesto Pontieri, Monteluco di Roio, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Interests: constitutive modeling; compression behaviour; mechanical behavior at high strain rate

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on metallic foams, and more generally on cellular materials, is currently focused on different fields, such as numerical modeling, testing, material design, and manufacturing. Metallic foam applications concern lightweight and crashworthiness design. Cellular materials are also studied for multifunctional components, bioengineering, and biomimetic design. These research areas are extending thanks to technological innovation and new design methodologies. For these reasons, I believe that a multidisciplinary perspective may support the understanding of the state of the art related to cellular material applications, highlighting advantages and disadvantages and, more importantly, discussing new numerical and experimental approaches to investigate the open questions related to their applications.

This Special Issue welcomes papers on cellular materials (both foams and regular cells) aiming to present design methodologies, problems, and applications related to numerical modeling through finite element analysis, design optimization, and validation. Multidisciplinary research is encouraged, especially if it is related to integrated product-process design and multifunctional applications.

Prof. Dr. Francesca Campana
Prof. Dr. Michele Bici
Prof. Dr. Edoardo Mancini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cellular materials
metallic foam
periodic structure
finite element analysis
topological optimization
mechanical properties
product-process design
biomimetic design
mesoscale modeling

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 6420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of the Three-Point Bending Property of a Sandwich Panel with a Metal Rubber Core

by Wei Zhang, Shanshan Wang, Xiaoyuan Zheng and Xin Xue

Metals 2024, 14(4), 383; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met14040383 - 25 Mar 2024

Viewed by 612

Abstract

Sandwich structures and porous materials have been applied widely in various fields due to their excellent mechanical performance, and multifunctional composites will have a significant engineering demand in the future. Studying damped composites’ mechanical properties and failure forms has significant engineering value and significance. However, the current connecting processes for sandwich panels and porous materials must be improved. Therefore, to explore the ambiguity of the connection interface between the core material and panel in sandwich panels, as well as the mechanical properties of such structures, a sandwich panel with a metal rubber core material was prepared using vacuum brazing and cementing processes. Microscopic examinations using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy were conducted to observe the physical bonding mechanism at the interface of the sandwich panel. The results indicate that the brazed sandwich panels exhibited a more uniform and continuous interface than the cemented sandwich panels. This work designs three-point bending compression experiments to investigate the effects of core material thickness, density, and preparation process on the bending mechanical properties of the sandwich panel. Failure modes of the sandwich panel during the experiments are analyzed. The experimental results show that the failures of the brazed sandwich panels are attributable to the bending deformation of the panel and the shear failure of the metal wire core material. The cemented sandwich panels exhibit separation failures in the area below the indenter and at both ends of the panel. The core material’s thickness and density significantly influence the bending performance of the sandwich panels. An increase in the core material’s thickness and density effectively enhances the sandwich panels’ peak load and energy absorption capacity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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16 pages, 4306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Uniform and Rounded Closed-Cell Aluminum Foams Using Novel Foamable Precursor Particles (FPPs)

by Angela Mudge and K. Morsi

Metals 2024, 14(1), 120; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met14010120 - 19 Jan 2024

Viewed by 6681

Abstract

The powder metallurgy (PM) route for the production of closed-cell metallic foams has recently received a significant amount of attention. One of the major issues is the non-uniform and non-spherical nature of the cells produced, which can negatively affect the mechanical behavior. The current paper uses the PM route to process metallic foams for the first time using novel Al-TiH₂ foamable precursor “particles” (FPPs). The effect of FPP content (0–10 wt.%) on the developed foam structure of aluminum and its mechanical properties is investigated. An increase in FPP content results in a decline in product density by forming uniform and near-spherical cells. The main advantage of the FPPs is the localization of the blowing agent TiH₂ particle content within Al-TiH₂ composite particles (i.e., giving rise to a higher local TiH₂ content), which has led to the production of pores with relatively high circularities even at very low overall TiH₂ contents. The foams produced displayed energy absorption capacities of 10–25 MJ/m³ at 50% strain, and maximum energy absorption efficiencies ranging from 0.6–0.7 (for 40–60% closed cell content) Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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13 pages, 5205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combining 3D Printing and Electrochemical Deposition for Manufacturing Tailor-Made 3D Nickel Foams with Highly Competitive Porosity and Specific Surface Area Density

by Robin Arnet, Oliver Kesten, Wassima El Mofid and Timo Sörgel

Metals 2023, 13(5), 857; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met13050857 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1568

Abstract

One of the most promising and heavily researched energy storage systems due to their high energy density, rate capability and extended cycle life are lithium-ion batteries. Their performance and efficiency are nonetheless strongly dependent on their constituent materials and design, including the current collectors. One attractive approach in this respect is the use of metal foams as an alternative to the conventional current collectors. This concept is therefore intended to increase the current collectors’ specific surface area and therefore load more active material by nominal area while keeping the cell architectures simple and less costly. In the present work, nickel is chosen as a model system for a proof of concept of a novel manufacturing method for nickel foams using a combination of 3D printing, coating and electroplating. The purpose is to create geometrically well-defined hollow structures with high porosity and specific surface area density that can rival and partially outperform the commercially available nickel foams. To this end, a 3D printer is used to create geometrically flexible and well-defined open-pored disks of HIPS (high-impact polystyrene), which are then spray coated with a graphite-based conducting layer and subsequently electroplated with a 5–30 µm thin layer of nickel from an additive-free nickel sulfamate electrolyte. Following the coating process, the support structure is dissolved with toluene, resulting in structures with a unique combination of porosity in the range of 92.3–99.1% and an ultra-high specific surface area density up to 46 m²/kg. Morphological characterization by light and scanning electron microscopy has proven that the temporarily required polymer substrate can be mildly and completely removed by the suggested room temperature dissolution process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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11 pages, 6818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Set-Up of the Production Process and Mechanical Characterization of Metal Foams Manufactured by Lost-PLA Technique with Different Cell Morphology

by Girolamo Costanza, Angelo Del Ferraro and Maria Elisa Tata

Metals 2022, 12(8), 1385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met12081385 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1557

Abstract

A flexible and versatile method for manufacturing open-cell metal foams, called lost-PLA, is presented in this work. With a double extruder 3D printer (FDM, Ultimaker S3, Utrecht, The Netherlands), it is possible to make polymer-based samples of the lost model. Through CAD modeling, different geometries were replicated so as to get black PLA samples. This method combines the advantages of rapid prototyping with the possibility of manufacturing Al-alloy specimens with low time to market. The production process is articulated in many steps: PLA foams are inserted into an ultra-resistant plaster mix, after which the polymer is thermally degraded. The next step consists of the gravity casting of the EN-6082 alloy in the plaster form, obtaining metal foams that are interesting from a technological point of view as well as with respect to their mechanical properties. These foam prototypes can find application in the automotive, civil and aeronautical fields due to their high surface/weight ratio, making them optimal for heat exchange and for the ability to absorb energy during compression. The main aspects on which we focus are the set-up of the process parameters and the characterization of the mechanical properties of the manufactured samples. The main production steps are examined at first. After that, the results obtained for mechanical performance during static compression tests with different geometry porosities are compared and discussed. The foam with truncated octahedron cells was found to show the highest absorbed energy/relative density ratio. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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10 pages, 1549 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Mechanical Performance of Aluminum Foam Fabricated by Melt Processing with Different Foaming Agents: A Comparative Analysis

by Alexandra Byakova, Svyatoslav Gnyloskurenko, Andrey Vlasov, Yan Yevych and Nikolay Semenov

Metals 2022, 12(8), 1384; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met12081384 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1294

Abstract

The study presents the comparative analysis of the compressive response for the experimental aluminium foams of different parent alloys fabricated by melt processing with/without Ca additive and an expensive conventional TiH₂ foaming agent or a cheap alternative CaCO₃. It was recognized that the response of the foams is significantly dependent on the type of foaming agent and Ca additive due to the formation of low ductile and brittle products created in the foaming process. The presence of deformation bands and brittle eutectics in material, Al₃Ti particles/layers, partially decomposed TiH₂, Ca containing compounds, etc. cause a reduction of the foam’s compressive strength and deviation of its mechanical profile from the theoretical predictions. In addition, the usage of an inexpensive CaCO₃ foaming agent offers numerous indisputable advantages compared to TiH₂, resulting, particularly, in enhancing the energy absorption ability of foams. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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Review

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23 pages, 4970 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bird’s Eye View on Lattice Structures: Design Issues and Applications for Best Practices in Mechanical Design

by Abas Ahmad, Luca Belluomo, Michele Bici and Francesca Campana

Metals 2023, 13(10), 1666; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/met13101666 - 28 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1269

Abstract

Lattice structures for engineering applications are patterns of unit cells designed to make a larger functional structure. Research on lattice structures ranges in many fields, from mechanical characterization and cell and pattern designs in respect of their applications, to the manufacturing process and its final shape control. From the manufacturing point of view, some kinds of lattice structures can be infeasible when approached with traditional manufacturing methods. It may offer an inevitable limitation of their adoption. However, advancements in Additive Manufacturing (AM) have solved this manufacturing issue to a great extent, allowing to obtain major complexity of the cells that can be achieved. The topology, shape of the unit cell, and the characteristics of its replication pattern allow us to obtain many kinds of structures in respect of the different engineering requirements and manufacturing constraints. Nevertheless, the necessity of new or dedicated CAD-CAE approaches arises to manage the domains of multiscale modeling. These are some of the advantages and disadvantages that may arise while approaching the design of a component using lattice structures. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview that integrates the most recent applications of lattice structures with their related design and manufacturing issues so that, from a practical design point of view, any state-of-the-art improvements may be established in respect of the related field of applications. In this article, engineers and researchers may find a practical summary of the capabilities and processes of lattice structures that are currently available from a design and development point of view. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Testing and Applications of Metallic Foams and Cellular Materials)

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