Effects of copper content on microstructure and mechanical properties of open-cell steel foams

Abstract

The effects of copper content on the microstructural and mechanical properties of steel foams are investigated. Spherical urea granules, used as a water-leachable space holder, were coated with a mixture of iron, ultrafine carbon, and different amounts of copper powders. After the mixture was compacted and the space holder was removed by leaching, a sintering process was performed under an atmosphere of thermally dissociated ammonia. Microstructural evaluations of the cell walls were carried out using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In addition, compression tests were conducted to investigate the mechanical properties of the manufactured steel foams. The results showed that the total porosity decreases from 77.2% to 71.9% with increasing copper content in the steel foams. In the foams’ microstructure, copper islands are mostly distributed in pearlite and intergranular carbide phases are formed in the grain boundaries. When the copper content was increased from 0 to 4wt%, the elastic modulus, plateau stress, fracture stress, and fracture strain of manufactured steel foams improved 4.5, 6, 6.4, and 2.5 times, respectively.

Keywords

steel foam / leachable space holder / copper content / liquid-phase sintering / mechanical properties

References

[1] Banhart J. Manufacture, characterization and application of cellular metals and metal foams. Prog. Mater. Sci., 2001, 46(6): 559.

[2] Ashby MF, Evans AG, Fleck NA, Gibson LJ, Hutchinson JW, Wadley HNG. Metal Foams: A Design Guide, 2000 21.

[3] Degischer HP, Kriszt B. Handbook of Cellular Metals: Production, Processing and Applications, 2002, Weinheim, Wiley-VCH/Verlag GmbH 67.

[4] Baumeister J, Banhart J, Weber M. Aluminum foams for transport industry. Mater. Des., 1997, 18(4–6): 217.

[5] Boomsma K, Poulikakos D, Zwick F. Metal foams as compact high performance heat exchangers. Mech. Mater., 2003, 35(12): 1161.

[6] Song HW, Fan ZJ, Yu G, Wang QC, Tobota A. Partition energy absorption of axially crushed aluminum foam-filled hat sections. Int. J. Solids. Struct., 2005, 42(9–10): 2575.

[7] Motz C, Pippan R. Deformation behaviour of closed-cell aluminium foams in tension. Acta. Mater., 2001, 49(13): 2463.

[8] Raj SV, Ghosn LJ, Lerch BA, Hebsur M, Cosgriff LM, Fedor J. Mechanical properties of 17-4PH stainless steel foam panels. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, 456(1–2): 305.

[9] Seo JY, Lee KY, Shim DS. Effects of process parameters on properties of porous foams formed by laser-assisted melting of steel powder (AISI P21)/foaming agent (ZrH₂) mixture. Opt. Laser. Technol., 2018, 98, 326.

[10] Smith BH, Szyniszewski S, Hajjar JF, Schafer BW, Arwade SR. Steel foam for structures: A review of applications, manufacturing and material properties. J. Constr. Steel. Res., 2012, 71, 1.

[11] Park C, Nutt SR. Effects of process parameters on steel foam synthesis. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2001, 297(1–2): 62.

[12] Park C, Nutt SR. PM synthesis and properties of steel foams. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2000, 288(1): 111.

[13] Golabgir MH, Ebrahimi-Kahrizsangi R, Torabi O, Tajizadegan H, Jamshidi A. Fabrication and evaluation of oxidation resistance performance of open-celled Fe(Al) foam by space-holder technique. Adv. Powder Technol., 2014, 25(3): 960.

[14] Bekoz N, Oktay E. Effects of carbamide shape and content on processing and properties of steel foams. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2012, 212(10): 2109.

[15] Bekoz N, Oktay E. Effect of heat treatment on mechanical properties of low alloy steel foams. Mater. Des., 2013, 51, 212.

[16] Mirzaei M, Paydar MH. A novel process for manufacturing porous 316L stainless steel with uniform pore distribution. Mater. Des., 2017, 121, 442.

[17] Guarino S, Barletta M, Pezzola S, Vesco S. Manufacturing of steel foams by Slip Reaction Foam Sintering (SRFS). Mater. Des., 2012, 40, 268.

[18] Sharma M, Gupta GK, Modi OP, Prasad BK, Gupta AK. Titanium foam through powder metallurgy route using acicular urea particles as space holder. Mater. Lett., 2011, 65(21–22): 3199.

[19] Shimizu T, Matsuzaki K, Nagai H, Kanetake N. Production of high porosity metal foams using EPS beads as space holders. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2012, 558, 343.

[20] Kadkhodapour J, Montazerian H, Samadi M, Schmauder S, Mehrizi AA. Plastic deformation and compressive mechanical properties of hollow sphere aluminum foams produced by space holder technique. Mater. Des., 2015, 83, 352.

[21] Aşik EE, Bor Fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V foams processed by magnesium space holder technique. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2015, 621, 157.

[22] Jia GZ, Hou Y, Chen CX, Niu JL, Zhang H, Huang H, Xiong MP, Yuan GY. Precise fabrication of open porous Mg scaffolds using NaCl templates: Relationship between space holder particles, pore characteristics and mechanical behavior. Mater. Des., 2018, 140, 106.

[23] Xie B, Fan YZ, Mu TZ, Deng B. Fabrication and energy absorption properties of titanium foam with CaCl₂ as a space holder. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2017, 708, 419.

[24] Takata N, Uematsu K, Kobashi M. Compressive properties of porous Ti-Al alloys fabricated by reaction synthesis using a space holder powder. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2017, 697, 66.

[25] Noorsyakirah A, Mazlan M, Afian OM, Aswad MA, Jabir SM, Nurazilah MZ, Afiq NHM, Bakar M, Nizam AJM, Zahid OA, Bakri MHM. Application of potassium carbonate as space holder for metal injection molding process of open pore copper foam. Procedia. Chem., 2016, 19, 552.

[26] Jiang B, Zhao NQ, Shi CS, Li JJ. Processing of open cell aluminum foams with tailored porous morphology. Scripta Mater., 2005, 53(6): 781.

[27] Mansourighasri A, Muhamad N, Sulong AB. Processing titanium foams using tapioca starch as a space holder. J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2012, 212(1): 83.

[28] Bakan HI. A novel water leaching and sintering process for manufacturing highly porous stainless steel. Scripta Mater., 2006, 55(2): 203.

[29] Bram M, Stiller C, Buchkremer HP, Stöver D, Baur H. High porosity titanium, stainless steel and superalloy parts. Adv. Eng. Mater., 2000, 2(4): 196.

[30] Gülsoy H, German RM. Sintered foams from precipitation hardened stainless steel powder. Powder Metall., 2008, 51(4): 350.

[31] Mutlu I, Oktay E. Processing and properties of highly porous 17-4 PH stainless steel. Powder Metall. Met. Ceram., 2011, 50(1–2): 73.

[32] Mutlu I, Oktay E. Production and aging of highly porous 17-4 PH stainless steel. J. Porous Mater., 2011, 19(4): 433.

[33] Mondal DP, Jain H, Das S, Jha AK. Stainless steel foams made through powder metallurgy route using NH₄HCO₃ as space holder. Mater. Des., 2015, 88, 430.

[34] Bekoz N, Oktay E. High temperature mechanical properties of low alloy steel foams produced by powder metallurgy. Mater. Des., 2014, 53, 482.

[35] Michailidis N, Stergioudi F, Tsouknidas A, Pavlidou E. Compressive response of Al foams produced via a powder sintering process based on a leachable space-holder material. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2011, 528(3): 1662.

[36] German RM, Suri P, Park SJ. Review: liquid phase sintering. J. Mater. Sci., 2009, 44(1): 1.

[37] Wu MW, Cai WZ, Lin ZJ, Chang SH. Liquid phase sintering mechanism and densification behavior of boron-alloyed Fe—Ni—Mo—C—B powder metallurgy steel. Mater. Des., 2017, 133, 536.

[38] Simchi A. Effect of C and Cu addition on the densification and microstructure of iron powder in direct laser sintering process. Mater. Lett., 2008, 62(17–18): 2840.

[39] Metinöz I, Cristofolini I, Pahl I, DeNicolo A, Marconi P, Molinari A. Theoretical and experimental study of the contact fatigue behavior of a Mo—Cu steel produced by powder metallurgy. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2014, 614, 81.

[40] Wong-Ángel WD, Téllez-Jurado L, Chávez-Alcalá JF, Chavira-Martínez E, Verduzco-Cedeño VF. Effect of copper on the mechanical properties of alloys formed by powder metallurgy. Mater. Des., 2014, 58, 12.

[41] Ramamurty U, Paul A. Variability in mechanical properties of a metal foam. Acta Mater., 2004, 52(4): 869.

[42] Mu YL, Yao GC, Luo HJ. Effect of cell shape anisotropy on the compressive behavior of closed-cell aluminum foams. Mater. Des., 2010, 31(3): 1567.

[43] Essa K, Jamshidi P, Zou J, Attallah MM, Hassanin H. Porosity control in 316L stainless steel using cold and hot isostatic pressing. Mater. Des., 2018, 138, 21.

[44] Bafti H, Habibolahzadeh A. Production of aluminum foam by spherical carbamide space holder technique-processing parameters. Mater. Des., 2010, 31(9): 4122.

[45] Zhao YY, Han FS, Fung T. Optimisation of compaction and liquid-state sintering in sintering and dissolution process for manufacturing Al foams. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2004, 364(1–2): 117.