2007 Volume 79 Issue 2 Pages 101-106
Closed cell aluminum foams (Al-Zn-Mg alloy foams) before and after heat treatment were visualized for three dimensions utilizing the high resolution Synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (CT) at SPring-8. Influence of heat treatment on the microstructure in the aluminum foams was quantitatively investigated. The sizes of the micropores after heat treatment were larger than those before and the shape after heat treatment was more heterogeneous than that before. After heat treatment, the intermetallic compound particles became coarse with some crystal orientation and the sphericity distribution of the particles became widespread. It was concluded that mezzo-structural transformation by the heattreatment mentioned above has small effects on materials for shock absorption of automobiles.
