Shaping of aluminum foam during foaming by optical heating

Abstract

In this study, a stainless steel mesh was used as a mold for fabricating aluminum foam with a complex shape during the foaming of a precursor by employing optical heating. From the foaming of the precursor in stainless steel mesh molds with the shapes of an airplane, it was shown that aluminum foam with similar shapes to the stainless steel mesh mold can be obtained. No protrusion of the aluminum foam through the mesh openings was observed.