ABSTRACT

Cellular metals and metallic foams are metals with pores that are deliberately integrated in their structure. The terms cellular metals or porous metals refer to metals having large volume of porosities, while the terms foamed metal or metallic foams apply to porous metals produced with processes where foaming takes place. Porous metals and metallic foams have combinations of properties that cannot be obtained with dense polymers, metals and ceramics or polymer and ceramic foams. For example the mechanical strength, stiffness and energy absorption of metallic foams are much higher than those of polymer foams. They are thermally and electrically conductive and maintain their mechanical properties at much higher temperatures than polymers. They are more stable also in harsh environments than polymer foams. As opposed to ceramics, they have the ability to deform plastically and absorb energy. If they have open porosity, they are permeable and can have very high specic surface areas, characteristics required for owthrough applications or when surface exchange is involved.