Mechanical Behavior of Layered Composite Structures of Aluminum Foam Partially Filled with Polyamide

• Published in: Periodica polytechnica. Mechanical engineering - Mas̆inostroenie Vol. 69; no. 2; pp. 164 - 170
• Main Authors: Du, Wanrong, Orbulov, Imre Norbert, Tamás-Bényei, Péter, Kádár, Csilla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Budapest Periodica Polytechnica, Budapest University of Technology and Economics 01.04.2025
• Subjects: Aluminum; Composite materials; Composite structures; Energy; Flexural strength; Hot pressing; Laminates; Load; Manufacturing; Mechanical engineering; Mechanical properties; Metal foams; Modulus of rupture in bending; Multilayers; Open cell porosity; Polyamide resins; Shear strength
• ISSN: 0324-6051; 1587-379X
• DOI: 10.3311/PPme.40446

In this study, the mechanical properties of layered composite structures were investigated. We achieved the layered structure by hot-pressing 1 mm, 3 mm, or 5 mm thick polyamide 6 (PA) sheets into the pores on the top and bottom sides of an open-cell metal foam at 240 °C and 15 MPa (150 bar). The PA-infiltrated depths varied with the thickness of the hot-pressed PA sheets. According to the bending and post-impact bending tests, flexural strengths improved as the infiltration depth of PA increased. Compared to the metal foam, a maximum of 15% increase in flexural strength and a 400% increase in residual flexural strength were measured. However, using a 1 mm thick PA sheet lowered the flexural strength of the open-cell metal foam. We found that the 1 mm thick PA sheet failed to fully infiltrate the foam pores, resulting in residual voids at the metal-PA interface, which caused premature fracture during bending.