G040034 Effect of Self-Weight on Moulding of Aluminium Foams

Abstract

Moulding of aluminium foams from a solid bar including a foaming agent is examined. Aluminium powder mixed with a foaming agent is formed to a solid bar by hot extrusion. The solid bar is extruded into a mould by using the heated die for foaming of aluminium, and then the mould is filled with the aluminium foam from the heated die. The experiments using cylindrical moulds of different aspect ratio of height to diameter for different moulding directions are conducted. In moulding horizontally, the aluminium foam extruded from the heated die tends to go down in the mould due to self-weight when the mould diameter is large. In the case of small diameter, the aluminium does not expand enough in the mould due to friction by increasing contacting force. The volume fraction of aluminium foam to the mould inside becomes large under appropriate conditions of the aspect ratio of mould shape and the moulding direction.